Even after a Fire, This Rose can Bloom
by Alice-Rain
Summary: Ten years after the fire in the opera house a young girl wanders through the rebuilt halls, and finds herself discovering more and more about who she really is, and what lies her mother, Christine, has told her. * the story is better than the summary*
1. Chapter 1

The curtain had just arisen and her mother stepped forward on the stage to begin tonights aria. Rose walked the corridors of the opera house far from the stage and anyone in tonights performance. She was not playing tonight, she had told the directors in a well written letter for a ten year old that her cello was tired, and didn't want to be played tonight. So to the disapointment of her mother and the dismay of the audience, her cello solo had been cancled from the program. Instead of performing Rose had snuck away from the ballyhoo and walked the lone corridors. ' Ladies and gentle men, the wonderous seprano of the century..Miss Christine Daae De Changey.' Rose listend to the soft echo of the anouncer and the swelling roar of the crowd. She was ten years old today, and had been swarmed with loving wishes and happy tidings from almost everyone in the opera house, and took them all in stride nodding her head ever so slightly at each and everyone a small smile politely plastered to her face. When they had finished there praise they had all at once burst into cries of panic, they had all momentarily forgotten that a performance was to happen that night. They all rushed and turned away to set up and get ready, including her mother and father who held each others hands and rushed away toward Christine's dressing room. In the middle of all of the chaos Rose had manged to slip back into her small ten year old sized dressing room and slipped out of the obnoxiously pink birthday dress her mother had put her in and found one of her favorite performance gowns, green as the stem of a freshly clipped rose. She put on her dress and untied her long curly hair from the neat bun her mother had fashioned, letting her hair fall in brown waves around her shoulders. She glanced into her full length mirror and adjusted her clothing to set just right and caught her green eyes looking back at her. A smile spread across her reflections face and then faded. She was always being told how magnificant her eyes were, and how unusual it was that they were such a brilliant green, when her mother had brown eyes and her father had blue. She looked away from the mirror and returned to the hallways glancing around to make sure no one was around and walked away in the opposite direction of the stage. And her she was now walking along humming the song her mother was now performing, singing bits and pieces that she liked the most. After awhile Rose had walked so far that she could no longer hear her mothers voice, but the song still echoed through the halls as Rose had continued singing louder and louder when she was sure that no one would hear her. She finished the song and knew that right about that time her mother would be taking her bow, and would be exiting the stage to ready herself for the next song. It was a moment or two later when Rose had the unnerving feeling of being followed. She stopped immediatley, and heard the faint click of shoe against stone from some ways behind her. She walked again sure that she was being followed, but she was also sure that she knew these halls more than anyone who could be following her. Her walking quickly sped into a run, her bare feet silent as the clip-clattering of her persuer followed. With a quick turn down a hallway and ducking behind storage box, her stalker ran right passed her looking around in confusion but continueing on, desperate to find her, giggling like it was a game. Rose let out a small sigh of relief and left her hiding place behind, heading up a spiral staircase she had traveled up many times before and exited through a door that took her to the opera house roof. It was snowing lightly and the moon was barely out, but she found her way to the edge of the roof and climbed up, sitting beside her favorite horse gargoyle, drapping her legs over the edge and looked out at the night lights of Paris. She would have been devistated if Nikolis had found her, he was always trying to play with her and always begged her to talk to him. But rose didn't talk to mostly anyone, including him, for reasons of her own, and she most certainly did not want to share her secrete place with him. Nikolis had lived at the opera house for three years now, comming to live with her parents after his had died. She didn't like him, he was stingy and loud, not company she wanted to spend her time with, she much prefered the stone statues that surrouned her now, at least they didn't try and cling to her every breath and movement. Rose shook her head slightly and raised it to the falling snow and rising moon enjoying the winter night.


	2. Chapter 2

_** __**Author's Note : **__ Hey everyone, i forgot to do this with my first chapter, I do not own any of the origional Phantom characters, nor do i own the songs used in this story, those everything belongs to their creators, except for Rose, Luccus, Nikki, and a few small others. Enjoy Chapter 2 3 **_

Rose looked back down at the city there, was a crowd pouring form the doors of the opera house, tonights show must have been finished. She knew her mother would not come looking for her for another hour or so, she would be swarmed by people wishing to giver her their praise personally, and then she would want to change from her costume. Rose was safe in her secret place for quite a while. She started singing one of her favorite songs, one she sang every time she came, alone, to her secret place.

Rose:Tis the last rose of summer left blooming alone

All her lovely companions are faded and gone

No flower of her kindred, no rosebud is nigh

To reflect back her blushes and give sigh for sigh

Rose was about to begin the second verse in the song when a someone else picked up the song where she had left off, She turned to face a boy dressed like gentleman, who sang better then many of the men she knew from the cast. She eye were drawn to a mask that covered the right side of his face and then to his eyes, as dark as the night that surrounded them.

Luccus:I'll not leave thee, thou lone one, to pine on the stem

Since the lovely are sleeping, go sleep thou with them

Thus kindly I scatter thy leaves o'er the bed

Where thy mates of the garden lie scentless and dead

Rose hesitated on continuing for only a moment, both uncertain and enthralled with the sudden appearance of this boy she had never met.

Rose:So soon may I follow when friendships decay

And from love's shining circle the gems drop away

When true hearts lie withered and fond ones are flown

Oh who would inhabit this bleak world alone?

Luccus: This bleak world alone..

They ended the song unfaltering and beautiful. The boy moving closer to Rose who had never left her place on the edge of the roof.

"Who are you? And how did you get here?"

she asked the boy in a kind and quiet voice, unsure if he could have possibly hear her, as he extended his hand for her to take. She took his hand and lowered herself back to the roof floor, their hands falling away form each other once she stood before him.

"My name is Luccus, and i got here the same way you did Rose."

His voice broke a little bit on her name, realizing a bit too late that she hadn't intorduced herself yet. Rose's eyes widened when he spoke her name, but fear was some how escaping her, and she barely felt uneasy, just curious.

" Phantom?"

She had heard the gossip from almost everyone, about the ghost that wandered the opera house, and who had been the cause of the fire only ten years ago. He wore a mask and had a voice like an angel. A voice so beautiful in fact, that her mother, had thought him to be her angel of music. "Angel?"

She stepped closer wanting to know exactly who this boy was, even though he gave her his name. He made a funny face mixed between emarrassment and fear and backed away from her into the shadows of one of the other gargoyels.

"Ph-phantom...no im-im just his... apprentace..."

Rose almost sqeeled in delight.

"So he is real?"

She moved forward again and he stepped back almost against the house wall.

" yes but he doesn't like people much, and he is a much better singer then I. Im positive he would be offended if he heard himself being compared to me..."

Roses jaw dropped slightly and then turned up into and smile her small cheeks blushing slightly.

" I dont believe you...there couldn't possibly anyone who can sing better than you, Luccus."

She watched a he looked away and his face turned redder than her cheeks, she started to giggle, and he laughed too. A clock tower sounded near by and both children jumped at the sudden noise.

" I have to go!" they both yelled together.

Luccus turned to leave through the door but Rose caught his arm.

" Will i see you again?" She was frighten that the answer would be know, this boy was the first person in the world that Rose had felt comfertable talking to..and the first one to ever hear her sing, let alone sing with her. Luccus turned back for and nodded, " Yes, ill be here when you are here. I'll see you soon Rose."

She let his arm go and he ran through the door. She followed shortly after she was sure he was gone and made her way to find her mother, before she noticed that Rose was gone. Weeks and then months went by, with Rose and Luccus meeting on the roof top for an hour or two whenever Christine would be occupied for a while. They would sit on the roof edge or sometimes climb the gargoyels, singing together and sometimes, Rose would listen to a story about the Phantom, Erik, as Luccus calls him. It was a spring evening when Luccus had ventured into a topic of conversation that had many people in Rose's life dumbfounded.

"Rosey?"

"Yes, Luccus?"

" Why don't you talk to anoyone but me, and why don't you sing unless your by yourslef."

Rose closed her mouth, not because she didnt know how to answer the question, but because it was instinct. The question had been asked so many times before.

" I, dont like people much."

She took a deep breath before continueing," Ever since i can remember I have been adored for the simple fact that I am the daughter of the famous Christine Daae. I haven't been adored or even liked for that matter because im...me..because im Rose. I don't talk because that what i see when i look into most peoples eyes is ' oh look at her her mother is christine' . And when ever im introduced to anyone it's ' you come and meet the daughter of Christine Daae. And, as for my voice, well, everyone always begged me to talk and when i would talk they would say 'Well you're Christine's daughter is you wont talk then please sing. we want to hear you sing. But i didnt sing and i wouldn't sing, and after awhile they all gave up, ill get the odd request every now and then but i decline with the nod of my head and they leave me alone. It was my doing that they cast me as a cellist. When i was eight i took my cello to the middle of the stage and started playing in the middle of rehearle. They cast me in the pit orchestra and in solos immediatly. my mother...she cant play anything but piano...so people didnt campare my playing with hers. Thats why i still play my cello, when i feel like it i mean, they learned to ask after i stopped showing up to the ones they just put me in."

Rose stopped her rant to breath and looked up at Luccus who just nodded, as if he had been expecting that answer. Rose was still getting used to the way he always seemed to know what she was talking about, like he had been there and seen it with his own eyes...she was starting to get the feeling that that was the case, but every time she asked, he would change the subject to one of his stories, and she couldn't help but listen. Her eyes traced the outline of the mask he wore.

"Luccus?"

"Yes, Rosey?"

"Why do you wear that mask?"

Luccus turned a bright scarlet color and turned his face away from her. It was the first time she had ever mentioned the mask, but if he got to ask a person question and recieve an answer so should she.

"It's nothing really, you don't need to see."

Rose was shocked by the hurt and sadness in his voice, but was determind to know the answer.

"Please luccus...I answered yours...i haven't told anyone why i dont talk...not even Nikolis and he follows me around constantly begging for me to talk."

Luccus' sadden face looked jealous and greedy at the mention of Nikolis' name but quickly faded away to sadness again.

"Please Luccus?

Rose scooted over closer to him and reached out her hand toward his and he took hers gentaley.

" I promise i won't laugh, or be afraid."

They sat in silence for a while, Luccus thinking about weather or not to remove his mask. After what seemed like eternity he grabbed his mask with his empty hand and pulled his mask away, his grip on her hand tightening slightly. Rose saw his whoel face before her, the left side an adorable boyish face with dark eyes to match his dark hair, and the right side of his face, was twisted and turned into grotesque patterns that would have frightend away anyone else, but not Rose, she found a type of beauty in his face. His face so beautiful on one side and then the other a beauty that you had to look for and unterstand to see it, much like rose herself. She opend her mouth to tell him how she felt, reassure him that she wasn't affraid, when someone screamed so loud from behind them that Rose nearly fell from the roof top.

" GHOST GHOST, THAT THING IS TRYING TO STEAL ROSE, SOMEONE HELP PLEASE. SAVE HER! A MONSTER HAS ROSE!"

Rose watched as Luccus put back on his mask, and started towards Nikolis, towards his only escape and exit. Rose could hear the rushing foot steps of people running thorugh the corridor beneath the spiral stair case. Shouts and hollers to 'find christine, inform christine that the phaontom has stolen her child." Rang through the open air smack rose hard in the chest. Rose ran after Luccus, pushing Nikolis out of her way when he tried to stop her. Luccus was ways a head of her, moving easily down the steps, she was at his heels soon after he feet left the stairs following quickly after him.

" Luccus im sorry, please i didnt know he was there."

She watched as tears started to spill from the his mask covered eye, as they rouned a corner. Rose felt arms wrap around her as she was hoisted off of the ground, a small shreak escaping her mouth, Luccus turned to help her, but one of the gaurds grabbed him too, and he struggled to get free.

"NO, NO, PLEASE LET HIM GO!"

Rose twisted and turned hollering for his release, she watched as Luccus kicked the guard bellow his belt, watched as Luccus hit the floor and ran, a couple gaurds following him, but he was fast, and Rose was sure that he would get away. The gaurd thst LUccus had kicked called to the one holding Rose,"Get her to her mother, now!" And Rose was carried away, in silence, tears streaming from her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

_**__**Author's Note**__: Once again i do not own the origional Phantom characters, but i do own mine. I also do not own the music lyrics in this story.**_

After she had been brought back to her mother that night, her tears had stopped and she was quiet. She listened to her mothers pleas for an explanation, listened as she brought Nikolis in to explain everything he had seen and heard.

" And they were climbing all over the roof, she could have fallen."

NIkolis had taken a breath there waiting to see Christine's reaction, and right when he knew she was the most upset, he pushed her farther.

"AND Miss Christine, she was TALKING to him...she was talking about why she doesn't talk...and she said its cause.."

Nikolis was unable to finish because Rose had walked over from where she had been standing and stomped on his foot. He let out a yelp of pain, before yelling to her, "If you're not my friend then why should i keep your secrets?"

With a frown on her face Rose took his hand in hers and with her back still to her mother she mouthed the word 'friends'. Nikolis' cheeks went a faint red and he nodded.

" Actually Miss Christine, I don't exactly remember what she was saying."

Christine pulled him aside and tried to pry the information form him, but the toe stomping Rose had given and her mouthed bribe, was the most interaction they she had given him the entire three years he had been there, and he wasn't going to give it up. He just puffed his chest out, looking triumphant with himself and denied any claim to have ever know what she had said on the roof top, and when Christine, with a sigh, rubbed her temples and left the two children alone. Rose yanked her hand from Nikoli, and turned her back on him.

" you are a tattle tale Nikki!"

Nikkoli jumped at the sudden loudness and appearance.

"I thought you don't talk to people you don't like Rosey.."

Rose turned back around to face him," Don't call me that...and besides...i only talk to friends..and since you kept my secret from mother, i have to be your friend. And what good is a friend is they don't talk?"

She sat down on the corner of her bed and pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on her knees.

"I really am sorry...that I hurt your feelings Rose.."

Nikkolis lowered his head, triumphant chest deflated, "What good is a friend if the only thing they have done is hurt your feelings?" He turned to leave and Rose sighed, " Don't worry about me Nikki, its not my feelings im worried about..."

Rose crossed her arms hugging her knees closer and burrying her face in her arms. Nikkolis left her room and Rose cried herself to sleep.

It had now been two weeks since she had seen Luccus, Rose had just finished visiting a near by park, with her parents and Nikkolis. They were both exhausted from swinging and playing tag, Nikkolis went to his room and Christine and Roul walked Rose to hers, tucking her into bed and leaving her there to sleep. When she woke she wasn't sure how long she had been asleep. She rose from her bed and exited her room out into an empty corridor, she walked toward the stage until she heard the nearing sounds of the back stage cues and calls for the next performer to ready themselves. Rose glanced around searching for Nikkolis making sure that if he was near, he hadn't noticed her appearance. When she found the coast was clear she headed in the opposite direction toward the spiral staircase. When she got there she peeked carefully around the corner, hidden by the shadows, and saw two armed guard blocking her way up to the roof top. With a slight frown to her face she silently turned and walked down a different corridor, that took her even farther away from the stage. her white sundress she had been too tired to take off the when she slept flowed around her knees with every step her took. After a while she started to sing to herself, or more, to Luccus hoping he would hear her and appear magically like he always seemed to do.

Rose:

Tis the last rose of summer left blooming alone

All her lovely companions are faded and gone

No flower of her kindred, no rosebud is nigh

To reflect back her blushes and give sigh for sigh

Rose waited hoping he would join and sing his part but silence was her only harmony, so she skipped over his lyrics to finished her song,

Rose:

So soon may I follow when friendships decay

And from love's shining circle the gems drop away

When true hearts lie withered and fond ones are flown

Oh who would inhabit this bleak world alone?

Phantom: This bleak world alone...

The voice had startled rose and she turned toward it, knowing right away that it did not belong to Luccus. But Still when she turned she came face to face with a man, in a mask. towering above her lingering in the shadows. The last notes of his voice echoed through the halls seeming to bounce back to her. She knew without a doubt who the man was standing in front of her. His voice was soft and strong, and captivating, she smiled to him, welcoming him, just like Luccus, into her life, into her thought, aloud him to hear her voice.

"Your Luccus' master...you're the phantom that haunts these halls...you're Erik.."

She curtsied to him her sundress hovering just above the ground before she rose again to speak.

" Can you take me to him?"

Erik outstretched his hand and she took it following him to the one of the corridor was masked in shadow. With a slight push it gave way to and entrance with stairs leading Down. She had just figured out how Luccus had always appeared out of no where.

" You trust people too easily little Rose..aren't you frightened?"

Rose shook her head, "No I don't trust many things at all, im quite selective actually."

They walked further down and rose was surrounded by so many interesting sights, that she could barely take them all in. With every new sight the urge to sing pushed closer to the front of her throat, soon she was humming a rich and minor tune, to match the sights around her.

" It's so beautiful"

Erik moved closer to her pointing out small but magnificent things and now they were both humming in harmony with each other, and Erik was the first to break the bonds of singing,

Erik:

Have you ever yearned to go

Past the world you think you know?

Been enthralled to the call

Of the beauty underneath?

Have you let it draw you in

Past the place where dreams begin?

Felt the full breathless pull

Of the beauty underneath?

When the dark unfolds its wings

Do you sense the strangest things?

Things no one would ever guess

Things mere words cannot express?

Rose: Yes

Erik: Do you find yourself beguiled

By the dangerous and wild?

Do you feed on the need

For the beauty underneath?

Have you felt your senses served

And surrendered to the urge?

Have been hooked as you looked at the

At the beauty underneath?

When you stare behind the night

Can you glimpse its primal might?

Might you hunger to possess

Hunger that you can't repress?

Rose: Yes

It seems so beautiful

So strange yet beautiful

Everything's just as you say

Erik: And She's so beautiful

Perhaps too beautiful

What I suspected has come true

For I can tell, we both see

The very same way

Rose:

It's the music in your head

Have you followed where it led

And been graced with a taste

Of the beauty underneath?

Does it fill your every sense

Is it terribly intense?

Tell me you need it too

Need the beauty underneath

When it lifts its voice and sings

Don't you feel amazing things?

Things you know you can't confess

Things you thirst for nonetheless

It all so beautiful

Can it be?

Almost too beautiful

Both: Do you see what I see?

Erik:

To her it's beautiful

My world is beautiful

Both: How can this be what it seems?

All of my most secret dreams

Somehow set free

Erik:

You can feel the lift

Rose: (yes)

Erik:

Come closer

Rose:(Yes)

Erik: You've no fear of the beauty underneath

You can face it

Rose: (Yes)

Erik:You can take it

Rose:(Yes)

Erik: You see through to the beauty underneath

To the splendor

Rose:(Splendor)

Erik: And the glory

Rose: (And the glory)

Erik: To the truth of the beauty underneath!

Rose: (The beauty underneath)!

Their song ended just as Rose reached the opening to what seemined like and underground cave, the size of the opera house itself. She gaped at the spectacles that surrounded her, even more beautiful than the ones before. Her gaze fell to a small figure laying rumpled in an over sized bed that could have fit twenty of the sleeping form easily. Roses eyes widened as she rushed forward toward her friend, leaving the phantom behind, who unknown to her was taking in a spectical all his own.

It was only when Rose was climbing onto the bed did Erik realized that the boy wasn't wearing his masked. He watched and waited for her to react. but she just sat there for a moment. Rose was looking down on luccus' sleeping face, his sleep rustled hair cover the place where his mask should have been. she reached out and pushed the hair away taking in admiring him just as she had been the last time that had seen each other. Her light touch had been enough to stir the sleeping Luccus, who, with sleep filed eyes glanced up to see and angel looking upon him.

"R-Rosey?"


	4. Chapter 4

_** __**Author's Note:**__ i own none of the lyrics or original Phantom Characters. Enjoy 3 **_

" Luccus."

Rose smiled down at his beaming face. She watched as he rubbed the sleep out of one eye and the next, quickly shock washed over him when his hand didn't find the obstruction of his mask, he quickly covered his face.

" Rose what are you doing here? I dont have my mask on..my face.."

"Is beautiful"

Luccus stopped his frantic movement to find his mask and his hand fell away from his face at the same time that his jaw dropped in glanced over to Erik for guidance not knowing what to do, to say. But his mentor just stood still in his place and smiled at his prodigy. Rose couldn't help but laugh a little at his expression.

" I was going to tell you that but that thorn in my side Nikkolis started hollering..he doesn't see things the way I do...most people don't. You should know that by now Luccus."

She turned to look at Erik for the first time since she had spotted Luccus.

" And what example are you setting? you're his role model yet you hide your face just the same way."

Rose slid from the bed with Luccus scrambling after her, forgetting his mask behind him.

" Rose he doesn't have to take his off too...Rosey don't.."

But to Luccus' astonishment Erik knelt down so that he was eye level with Rose. She reached to his face and grasped his when she pulled it away the distortion, the misshapen flesh was not what caught her eyes, for the first time since their meeting her eyes met his, and she couldn't help but get the feeling of looking in her mirror, and seeing her vibrant green eyes reflected in his. A smile came to life on Erik's face, as he read her expression flawlessly.

" Strikingly familiar aren't they? I thought so too."

Rose backed away but kept her eyes on his. Luccus had gone silent knowing the secret that his mater was going to share with his only friend, he knew that this was not the time for him to speak, so he backed away returned to his bed watching.

"Everone always says how odd my eyes are..."

" I think they are beautiful.."

Rose shakes her head, " Beautiful yes but strange...mother's eyes are brown...and father's..they're blue...i dont fit in anywhere...but."

She had never felt like her and her father had anything in common. Roul's voice was his only talent but she never heard herself in his voice. Whenever they would try to spend time with each other, even when she tried, it felt force, and unreal. Like he didn't really want to look at her, and like the title of father never fit him at all...but this man. who sings so much like her, who's eyes are mirror reflections of hers...she felt completely at home with him. Like she was meant to find him some how. Erik outstretched his hand and walked her to a chair so she could sit. And after a while he explained everything, and answered almost every question she had. The truth sinking in deep and cold as ice.. He told her of the night aftter her birth, when her mother had made her way down to his chambers, leaving a new born rose in the hands of Roul. He explained how Christine had told him that her newborn child was not her husbands..but his. He told Rose of the joy he had felt at the thought of sharing in her life, and how that joy was taken away, when Christine had told him that she was going to play like Rose belonged to Roul. For the sake of her marriage, she had said. Christine's only gift was that as long as Erik stay away, receded back into the depth of the opera house, he could watch his daughter grow up...from a distance.

Luccus watched as tears slipped form Rose's eyes but she stayed silent listening, wanting to hear it all. Rose could barely believe what she was hearing but she couldn't deny it. In her entire life she had v\never felt more excepted than when she was with Erik and Luccus...they were the only two who truly seemed to understand her. Rose's pale hand raised to wipe the last of her tears away. Saddened that her mother had lied to her for all of her life.

" So. So you're my Father? Not R-roul?"...his name unusual and sickly on her tongue.

Erik gave a small nod at her question. Rose was fidgeting with his mask that she had held tight to since its removal. With a slight tremble in her grasp it slipped through her fingers and fell to the floor, with her hands freed she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him close and crying into his shoulder.


	5. Chapter 5

_** _**Author's Note:**___I do not own any of the original Phantom characters or the lyrics in this story. **_

Rose awoke to someone nudging at her shoulder, she expected it to be Luccus or her..father, but when she opened her eyes she Found Nikkolis staring down at her. She Jumped into a sitting position in her bed Startled that she was even there to begin with.

" Nikki what are you doing here?"

He gave her a weird look and shook his head, " You really are strange Rose. Your mother told me to wake you up, you have been sleeping since we came back from the park yesterday. Its almost time for tonight's performance and she wants you to be there, to watch at least."

Rose was happy that no one had noticed her disappearance the night before, her mother would have been furious. She couldn't remember it, but she had guessed that after she had cried herself to sleep in her father's arms he had returned her to her bed, so no one would wake in the morning to find her missing. Rose made her way out of her bed and over to her wardrobe.

" Nikki can you do me a favor, as a friend?"

She through the word around, hoping it would help her chances of recieveing his help. He smiled at the word and nodded furiously.

"Yes what is it?"

Rose had pulled out a box of papers and one of her mothers new style pens, that she had hidden in the corner of her cast sized wardrobe. She took the box over to her writing desk and pulled out a piece of paper. and Wrote four words down:

' I will be playing tonight.'

She signed her name and turned to Nikkolis, " Will you please take this to one of the managers?"

She handed the letter to him and watched as he quickly sped out of the door eager to please her. When he was gone she rushed back to her wardrobe and pulled out a sky blue performance gown and put it on. When she was finished she slipped on a pair of black ballet shoes and made her way to the stage area. When she got there the manager who had recieved her letter from Nikkolis was rushing around making changes in the schedual to acomidate her preformance. She located her cello that was stored away in one of the back stage cupboards and sat down in a practice room to warm up before she went out. The first two acts went on without flaws and she was finished warming up right as the call boy had come to find her. She rushed forward onto the stage where a lone chair had now been set at center stage. When the audience spotted her the burst into a roar of applause, she held her cello in one hand and curtsied towards the crowd. She took her seat and placed her bow on the strings of her Cello, and waited.

" Ladies and Gentlemen, for her pleasure tonight, our Rose has decided to entrance you with her wonderful rendition of Prelude from Bach's Cello Suite no. 5."

The audience held their aplause, because as soon as the man had finished hi sentence her bow began to move, and the music began. Rose kept looking around the audience trying to spot a dark figure, or two, that didnt seem to quite mix in. She remembered one of the stories and quickly her eyes flashed toward the box 5 seats and there watching her play, were two masked figures, one quite a bit shorter than the other. She smiled to them and continued her song, her music swelling with emotion and pride, her audience was captivated but she was only paying attention to the two listening from the balcony. Her song came to an end and the crowd roared, she rose from her chair and took a quick bow before exiting the stage, so the next preformers could take the stage. She put her cello quickly away before, slipping away from the stage chaos. She wanted to find her father and her friend and when she turned a corner a short distance away, she found them standing in the middle of the darkened hall. She smiled at the both of them and opened her arms to her fathers embrace.

" You played beautifully, Rose"

Erik handed her a single red rose, before taking her hand. Rose followed her father and luccus down to their home. This pattern continued for 4 years. Rose would preform a cello solo and when she was finished, she would meet her Erik and Luccus at thier home. Erik would give her lessons on everything from singing, to throwing her voice. It also grew to be a custom that when Rose was there, neither Erik nor Luccus were to wear their masks, just as Rose would remove hers, allowing for the three of them to be exactlly who they were with out having to hide. Some days Rose and luccus would spend the days alone together,exploring the depths of the opera house together, singing with each other and filling each others days with warmth and happiness. Some days Rose would spend with Nikkolis, growing to enjoy his company as well, finding a friend in him she never would have expected, but she kept her father and luccus a secret still. When night would come Rose would sneak back into the pressance of her mother, never being missed.


	6. Chapter 6

** I own nothing from the original phantom or the lyrics in this story**

It was four years to the day that Luccus and Rose had met, she had woke early on her fourteenth birthday to to find him, and she knew exactly where he would be. She found the spiral staircase as easily as ever, climbing them with ease and pushing her way through the door leading to the roof top. He was sitting in her favorite spot leaning against the base of the horse staute.

" Happy birthday Rose"

He gave her a smile as he handed her a box wrapped in silver paper. She sat down beside him and opened the box, gasping when she saw the treasure that was nestled within it. It was a silver charm bracelette, obsidion music not charms found their way around the band, but there was one charm that hung longer than the rest, a rose whose stem was made of the most brilliant green emerald and whoes predal were formed by small red rubbies. Luccus took the bracelette from her and fastend it around her wrist.

" Thank you so much Luccus!"

She reached forward and hugged him, greatful for such a wonderful gift.

" Its from your father also, but he said it was ok if i was the one to give it to you."

Rose pulled away to look at him.

" You're both too good to me Luccus."

She reached up and pulled away his mask, and kissed him lightly on the cheek where it had been, and then returning back to its place. Luccus' blush was vibrant but neither one of them commented on it.

" There is a preformance again tonight Rose, are you playing?"

Rose thought for a moment, " No, i don't think i will, you know, i just want to spend my birthday away from all the chaos."

Luccus smiled, " Well then what do you want to do?"

"Just stay here i supose," Rose picked her feet off of the ground and rested them on the ledge she was sitting, leaning with her back into Luccus' chest.

" I love you Rose."

Rose smiled, it wasn't the first time he had said those words to her, but she didn't hear it from him often either. She knew that it took alot of courage for him to say he loved her.

" I love you too Luccus."

They sat together for hours talking about anything that crossed their minds, sometimes sitting in silence, just enjoying each others company. When night began to fall they both agreed that Rose should return to her mother. When they reached the bottom of the stairwell Luccus bent down slightly and stole a kiss from her, before turning and leaving thorugh a passage way that lead to Erik's home. Rose walked back to her room passing a couple people on the way, who looked up from what they were doing, watch her walk by. Rose began to feel uneasy, she sped up her steps and entered her room quickly. When she entered she found her mother sitting at the writing desk tears staining her face, an angery looking Roul standing beside her. Christine stood to face her daughter, " Happy Birthday Rose"

Rose backed up against the door, wanting very much to run back to the roof top..to escape the looks she was recieving now.

" Thank you, mother."

Rose released the words in hopes that they would help sooth her mothers angered face, but to no prevail.

" The cast cancled tonight's performance, we had everything set up for a suprise party for you. Your father and I bought you a new cello, you out grew the other one."

Christine glanced at the cello case sitting in the corner, with the bow still attached.

" When we sent Nikkolis to bring you there, he returned without you, saying that he didnt know where you were...we had the entire opera house looking for you. Two of our search party went missing...i called it off after we heard the news of their dissapearance."

Rose's thought were scattered everywhere..she knew her mother knew, but she didnt know how much she had told Roul...

" i was on the roof top...with a friend."

"With who, for god sake Rose, you dont have any friends!"

"Roul...please-Rose?"

Rose was plastered against the wall behind her. Her father must have stopped the men from finding her and Luccus, she hoped that they were unconsois somewhere in the opera house, but given her fathers history, she could be wrong. Rose kept quiet, not saying anything else to her mother and Roul, who was going red in the face.

" Its him christine, you said it yourself...he tried to take you away from me those many years ago and now, that murderous mad man is trying to take our daughter away"

" IM NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!"

The words escaped her lips before she could stop them, and she watched as Rouls eyes widened.

" What did you say to me?"

Christine's eyes matched Roul's in their sence of shock, Rose's slip had done more than anger Roul, it had given Christine all she needed to understand that Rose had been in contact with Erik.

" Rose, you're not to leave this room im locking you in and your father is waiting outside, no one comes in. I really didnt want to have to do this Rose, we had a good life here, but i cant take the risk of that man spinning lies into your head, we are moving, in the morning we are leaving the opera house."

Roul and Christine left the room, and rose heard the outside lock click into place. Roul took his post outside of her door and Christine walked back to her dressing room, fear and eagerness painted on her face.


	7. Chapter 7

_**__** Author's Note: **__As always i do not own any of the original Phantom characters or the lyrics in this story. Thank you to all of those who have read my story so far, it truly means the world to me. Enjoy! **_

Christine made it to her dressing room faster than anticipated, realizing only when her door was closed that she had run the entire way. She took a couple breaths before walking up to a full length mirror with a cover over it. Her hand reached up tenitivly and grasped the fabric in her fingers. With another breath her pulled on the cloth, letting it fall at her feet. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for a brief moment before stepping forward and pushing the mirror aside, leaving a dark ill light passage in front of her. She shook what little fear she she building up and turned it into rage, as she started down the twisting paths to the Phantom's lair. She had lost track of how long she had been walking when her gaze fell upon a terrifying familiar sight. Erik had his back to her, he was poking away at his piano testing out different notes, obvioulsy composing something. Christine got his attention the only way she knew how, and opened her mouth to sing.

Christine: I should have know that you'd be here, I should have known it all along

This whole arrangement bears your stamp; you're in each measure of that song

How dare you try and claim her now? How dare you come invade our life?

The Phantom: Oh Christine, my Christine, in that time when the world thought me dead

My Christine, on that night just before you wed, ah Christine

You came and found where I hid, don't you deny that you did, that long ago night

Christine: That night...

The Phantom: Once there was a night beneath a moonless sky

Too dark to see a thing, too dark to even try

Christine: I strode to your side, to tell you I must go

I couldn't see your face, but sensed you even so

And I touched you

The Phantom: And I felt you

The Phantom and Christine: And I heard those ravishing refrains

Christine: The music of your pulse

The Phantom: The singing in your veins

Christine: And I held you

The Phantom: And I touched you

Christine: And embraced you

The Phantom: And I felt you

The Phantom and Christine: And with every breath and every sigh

Christine: I felt no longer scared

The Phantom: I felt no longer shy

The Phantom and Christine: At last our feelings bared

Beneath a moonless sky

Christine: And blind in the dark, as soul gazed into soul;

I looked into your heart and saw you pure and whole

The Phantom: Cloaked under the night, with nothing to suppress

A woman and a man, no more and yet no less

And I kissed you

Christine: And caressed you

The Phantom and Christine: And the world around us fell away

We said things in the dark, we never dare to say

The Phantom: And I caught you

Christine: And I kissed you

The Phantom: And I took you

Christine: And caressed you

The Phantom and Christine: With a need too urgent to deny

As nothing mattered then, except for you and I

Again and then again, beneath a moonless sky

The Phantom: And when it was done, before the sun could rise

Ashamed of what I was, afraid to see your eyes

I stood while you slept and whispered a good-bye

And slipped into the dark beneath a moonless sky

Christine: And I loved you, yes, I loved you

I'd have followed anywhere you led

I woke to swear my love, and found you gone instead

The Phantom: And I loved you

Christine: I loved you

The Phantom: And I left you

Christine: How I loved you

The Phantom: And I had to, both of us knew why

Christine: We both knew why

The Phantom and Christine: And yet I won't regret from now until I die

A night I can't forget beneath a moonless sky

The Phantom: And now...

Christine: How can you talk of now? For us... there is no now.

Erik looked at her, his heart threatening to crush at her words. Christine raised her chin slightly brushing away the long ago memories. " You left me..and when you found out about her..you came back..you would have ruined my life..you would have taken my husband away and then left me alone with our child again.. you promised me that you would stay out of our lives, if i raised her here so that you could see her...but you have broken that promise, like so many others. We are leaving , first thing tomorrow morning. You wont see her again Erik..."

Erik moved closer to her, "Please Christine.."

Christine backed away and turned to leave. "Good bye Erik."

Erik fell to his knees and wept, feeling again like only once before, that his world was crashing down around him.

Rose sitting on her floor cold and alone dreading the approach of morning, wanting nothing more to rush to her father and her friend and stay in the dark dungeons forever. As she made her third attempt to mop up her fallen tears a soft voice was heard from somewhere within her walls.

"Luccus?..Father?"

A soft rustling and then his voice was heard, " Rose there isn't a way for me to get in there..so ill talk to you from here." Rose scooted over and pressed her hand and ear to the spot of the wall where she could hear his voice the best. "Luccus where are you?"

"Im in one of the tunnels in the walls your dads put together...can you hear me okay." She nodded and then realized he couldn't see her, "Yes i can hear you fine."

"Your dad has completely lost it Rose...he was yelling and breaking things when i finally got back down there...is it true Rose? Are they really taking you away from us?" The tears had started falling again as Luccus had told his story. "Yes...mother said we were leaving first thing in the morning..she said we weren't comming back. Luccus what are we going to do?" There was a long silence on the other side of the wall, and Rose thought for a moment that she could hear him crying on the other side, but the wall between them muffled to much of the sound. When Rose woke a few hours later she was still resting against the wall, frantically she began tapping on the wall as loud and silent as she could. " Luccus...Luccus?..I fell asleep.." There was only a brief pause, "I Did too Rose...but im still here...it will be dawn soon Rose, we only have a couple more moments.." The young voice on the other side of the wall sounded lost and defeated and all Rose wanted was to find her way to him and make his voice sound happy again. After a moment or two of silence Luccus' voice was heard singing a sad melody, first to himself and then urging Rose to join and sing in one last song with him.

Luccus:

Let our hearts not waste a moment

Summer days will always end

Love can't stop that clock from turning

And today won't come again

Every day's a gift from heaven

Welcome as a long lost friend

Oh my love I love you dearly

And today won't come again

Rose:

I could hold your hand for ever

But will come a moment when

One of us will be memory

For today won't come again

Every day's a gift from heaven

Welcome as a long lost friend

Oh my love I love you dearly

And today won't come again..

Both:

I wish today could come again...

As their voices trailed away movement outside of her door caused Rose to jump to her feet.."Luccus.." A soft rustling from Luccus on the other side of the wall was heard, "Ill stay right here until you are gone Rose...I wont leave yet." The door to her room opened and Christine, Roul, and Nikki walked in along with a group of moving men. Roul started giving the men orders of what things were to go into which of their awaiting carriages. Christine walked to Rose and took her hand. "The three of us are going to wait in the carriage Rose while your father and the movers get your things situated. Come along Nikolis." Broken and numb Rose followed behind her mother, silent and lost. When everything was brought out and loaded Roul stepped into the Carriage and they pulled away from the Opera House. Rose looked back only once out of her window and looked to the roof where she had had all of her happiest days, and though they were far away she could make out the shape of someone standing on the edge of the roof, by her favorite horse statue.

**End of part one**

_** __**Author's Note: **__this is the end of part one but is not the end of this story, please continue to read and let me know what you think! Love you all! -Alice-Rain.**_


	8. Part 2: Chapter 8

** Author's Note: I do not own any of the original Phantom characters or the lyrics in this story. **

The family of four made their journey across the sea to America, when they docked they were met by press who had heard rumor that the famous Christine Daae had come to America. Roul shooed most of them away, and Rose kept her head down not saying a word, which wasn't anything new ever since they had left the Opera house she hadn't said a word to anyone and she wasn't planning on changing that anytime soon. Christine and Roul quickly fell into patterns of comfort from being away from the stresses of paris life. Every morning Roul would give christine some money and he would leave to go to his new found favorite pub. When he was gone Christine would have Rose and Nikolis get dressed in their fine clothing and the three of them would take a carriage to the town and shop until night fall. This normally consisted of Christine by her hearts desires while Nikolis watched Rose, who would take in the new faces and site the daily market had to offer. At the end of every day christine would enter the house with bags and bags of things..mostly for her and the kids, an occasional item for Roul. The patter continued for years, the drunk Roul, the daily outings. The only thing that changed was the relationship between Rose and Nikoli, who was the only person she would ever address directly they had small conversations on some occasions but mostly he just stayed close to keep her company, and talked to her, even if the conversation was one sided. It was Rose's eighteenth birthday and she had woken up from her normal dreams of masks and music laughter only to be thrown back into her world of silence and loneliness, save for Nikkolis. She blinked into the sunlight and rolled over in her bed, spotting a garment bag and a card resting on one of her bedroom chairs. She pushed herself out of bed and picked up the card.

_Dear Rose,_

_Good morning on your eighteenth birthday! Today is your day and what ever your heart desires will be yours. Inside the bag is a dress for today's outing. Come join us for breakfast whenever you are ready._

_Your loving mother._

Rose smiled a bit and pulled out her dress from the was a pale pink dress that was light and flowing. She slipped it on and looked in the mirror as she ran a brush threw her curls. When she left her room her family were all seated at the table, taking sips from drinks and small bites from their plates. She was surprised to find Roul at the table without an alcoholic drink in front of him, and she took it as his present to her. Nikolis was the first one to notice her entrance and he gladly took her in. "The dress is ravishing on you Rose." She smiled at him looked over at her mother, "Thank you." She took her seat as her mother gently wiped a spot of water from the corner of her mouth. "You're welcome Rose, but the there will be plenty more for you, today we will be going back into town and you pick out whatever you would like." Rose was smiling as she took a sip of the water that was at her place setting at the table. Breakfast continued on in silence, like it normally did. Nikki would talk with Roul about things going on in the world, politics and other things Rose didn't care for, but even still she listend, it save her from sharing awkward glances with her mother. When everyone was finished with their breakfast they loaded themselves into the carriage and made their way into was just like any other day, going stall to stall and store to store. Christine bought things she thought Rose would like and Rose just smiled to please her mother. Roul quickly escaped the routine to slip into his own at the pub. They were their for hours and Rose was practically dying from boredom. Her mother was addressing Nikkolis as her next shopping target and in an instant, Rose's body moved of its own accord taking the opportunity that was presented to her to slip away. She found herself laughing and running wherever her feet lead her, not quite sure where that was. After a few long moments when the corset she was wearing had hindered running anymore impossible Rose stopped and found herself hiding behind and many many mounds of hay. There was a different type of roar coming form the new crowd in front of her, She looked around and found herself mixed with beggars peasant freaks and gypsies. She walked deeper into the crowd taking in the sights and sounds of what looked like a festival about to begin. She was too busy looking around in amazement to notice that she was being watched and in an instant she had to very tall skinny men standing in front of her blocking her view. They both began talking, in rhythmic turns that made Rose believe that they knew what the other one was thinking.

"Poor child."

''Poor sweet child.''

''She has a very serious problem. Hasn't she?''

''If only...''

''...there were something..''

''...we could do.''

Rose stood her ground and looked between the two of them, "what are you talking about?"

The two men looked at each other and then back at her.

"Its not every day a girl like you finds her way..."

"...into a place like this..."

"...with people like us..."

"...not unless.."

"..she has something to escape from.."

" And has no where to escape to..."

Rose backed up a bit, and watched as the expressions on their faces turned to panic when they realized she was frightened.

" Oh please.."

"..don't be scared.."

" no no...all are welcome here.."

"..at the feast of fools"

Behind them a light flashed and they were gone, but music took their place and everyone began to cheer. All of the outcasts and on lookers joined in dancing and singing. Many gorging themselves with food and drinks and all of the preformers singing the same enthusiastic song.

Come one, come all!

Leave your loops and milking stools

Coop the hens and pen the mules

Come one, come all!

Close the churches and the schools

It's the day for breaking rules

Come and join the feast of ...

Fools!

Once a year we throw a party here in town

Once a year we turn it all upside down

Ev'ry man's a king and ev'ry king's a clown

Once again it's Topsy Turvy Day

It's the day the devil in us gets released

It's the day we mock the prig and shock the priest

Ev'rything is topsy turvy at the Feast of Fools!

Topsy turvy!

Clopin:

Ev'rything is upsy daysy!

Crowd:

Topsy turvy!

Ev'ryone is acting crazy

Dross is gold and weeds are a bouquet

That's the way on Topsy Turvy Day

Topsy Turvy!

Beat the drums and blow the trumpets

Topsy Turvy!

Join the bums and thieves and strumpets

Streaming in from town to town

Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy

On the sixth of "Januervy"

All because it's Topy Turvy Day!

Come one, come all!

Hurry, hurry, here's your chance

See the myst'ry and romance

Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for

Here it is, you know exactly what's in store

Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore

Now's the time we crown the King of Fools!

So make a face that's horrible and frightening

Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wing

For the face that's ugliest will be the King of Fools!

Why?

Topsy turvy

And it's the day we do the things that we deplore

On the other three hundred and sixty-four

Once a year we love to drop in

Where the beer is never stoppin

For the chance to pop some popinjay

And pick a king who'll put the "top" in

Topsy Turvy Day!

Mad and crazy, upsy-daisy, Topsy Turvy Day!

Rose had found herself in the midst of dancing with everyone, even joining in on the song she didn't know and as it ended and she went to applaud a tight grasp made its way around her wrist. She looked up in shock to find Nikkolis beside her.

"How did i know i would you here, of all places Rose?"

She looked down her feet upset that she had been found.

" You're just lucky it was me who did Rose, your mother and father are both looking for you...and Roul was pulled from the pub, so you can tell me what kind of a mood he is in." Nikkolis was pulling her from the crowd and leading her back to where Christine and Roul were waiting for her. Her head was still reeling from all of the excitement..mush more than she had had in the entire four years here combined. She glanced back every now and then long to return, being with them reminded her of the festivals in Paris...and Paris reminded her of the two most important people in her life...that she left behind, to forget her.

"Where was she?" Roul's voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she looked quickly to Nikkolis.

"She was wandering around a couple blocks away Sir, she had gotten lost."

Rose sighed in relief when Nikki kept where she had really been from Roul, but it didn't seem to help her situation any.

"What where you thinking Rose? Wandering off in crowds as big as this...without Nikkolis to escort you? I wonder if you even think sometimes.."

Christine took Rouls arm, "Roul please.."

"Its the truth Christine..." he turned and they started walking towards where the carriage was waiting for them, Nikkolis outstretched his arm for hier to take, and she did. As they followed her parent into the carriage Nikkolis looked down at her, "Happy Birthday Rose...and im sorry."

She nodded as she entered the carriage and he slid in beside her.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note:**__ Hey everyone thank you all so much for reading my story and adding it to your alerts. Im so sorry that it took me so long to put up this next chapter. i do not have internet at the house im at right now, but on the weekends i am able to go to my father's and post what i have written through the week on here. I will be putting up the next to chapters after this one and then there will be a short break until i can get the next couple chapters uploaded. Please know that even though all of the chapters haven't been put up yet, this story does have an ending, i wont stop until it is finished as long as there are people who want to read it. Also nothing is set in stone so if you have comments or suggestion please feel free to voice them, i will take them all into consideration. Also like before i do not own any of the origional phantom characters or the lyrics used in this story. Enjoy 3_

The ride home was filled with Christine fidgeting uncomfertably as Roul continuously harped on Rose, Nikkolis had given up half way there on trying to distract him. "And if you were kidnapped Rose, hm? What then? It's not like you would call for help."

Rose continued to look out the window stareing at the ocean and the sand that lead to it. She looked to the horizon and wished harder than ever that the ocean wasnt so big, she would swim across to get to them, if it were possible.

"Rose!"

The abruptness of the yell caused everyone else in the carriage to look at Roul, but still Rose said nothing, wich just added fuel to the fire.

" I will not be ignored by my own daughter Rose, you can play these games with everyone else but i wont have it, do you understand me?"

Rose's jaw unlocked and words came rushing to the front of her lips but she bit down hard on her tounge to prevent them from escaping, remembering all to well that denying Roul as her father was the very reason she was stuck so far away from home. The silence that followed Roul's out burst, and Rose's internal battle to keep her mouth shut was broken again. "Damit Rose say something, anything!" The sound of his hand hitting her face echoed threw the carriage, and tears began to sting at her eyes. Christine had screamed in alarm and Nikkolis had grabbed Roul's hand, preventing it from contacting with her face a second time. Rose Reached up and quickly knocked on the carriage driver's window, knowing someone wanted to speak with him he slowed the horses to a crawl wich was all that Rose wanted. She unlatched the door beside her and it swung open, she pushed herself out and as soon as she feet hit the grownd she ran towards the sea, Roul's harsh calls ringing out behind her. She didn't know when the air grew silent again, and she didn't notice when the sound of carriage wheels started carrying her mother and Roul the rest of the way home. She felt Nikkolis sit down in the sand beside her and she turned her tear stained face in his direction. He rubbed her back gently for a moment and let it fall to the sand. "I calmed him down a little and told him i would see you home safely, know how drunk he is he will more than likely be sleeping when we return." Rose nodded slightly and opened her mouth to say thank you but her voice cracked and faltered from the strain of her crying. Nikkolis took her hand, "Your welcome Rose. I have been around you enough the passed couple of years to know what you want to say but don't." Rose looked up at him a quizzical look on her face. "You see, right there, that's your way of asking me what i mean." Rose looked away from him her cheeks warming with a blush not form the slap Roul had given her. "You don't like that I'm right?" She continued looking out at the water and he started to laugh and she smiled at the waves. "There it is, i knew that smile was hidden in those closed lips somewhere." Rose tried to stop smiling to hide it back away from him but it stayed there for him to admire. "I have a knack for watching over you Rose and in doing that i have picked up on things you do when you are feeling certain ways...like dancing for instance. the way your body moves, tells a story." The smile was gone and the quizical look was back. " I mean..well, here stand up ill show you." He was on his feet in seconds and offered her his hand to help her up. When she was standing he wrapped his arm around her waist put on of her hands on his shoulder and the other stayed in his free hand.

**Nikkolis:**

Dancing is a language

That is felt instead of heard

You can whisper, sing, or shout

Without so much as a word

(spoken)

Try it, go on.

(sung)

Like so!

Just let your emotions

Tell your body what to do

See how much a single

Gesture can reveal

And every little step

Every single step

Is one step closer

To saying what you feel

Once the music hits you

And ambitions fall away

And you find that you're

Expressing things your

Voice daren't say

Don't be afraid. Let go!

Soon as you surrender

What's inside will sweep on through

As the boundaries raised

Between us disappears

And every little step

Every single step

Is one step closer

To talking loud and clear

A dance is like a conversation

Except you never need to make a sound

And once you've begun

You speak as one, give and take

Back and forth

Round and round!

Rose found herself being spun and wheeled around dancing to the words Nikkolis was singing. She was enjoying his company more than ever and it had been so long since she had heard any form of music in her home, even the playing of her cello was forbidin, for fear of angering Roul.

A dance is like a conversation

Except your lips don't

Ever need to part

And once you've begun

You'll speak as one

Cheek to cheek

Toe to Toe

Heart to Heart

Rose placed her head on his chest as they swayed in time with the waves.

Dancing is a language

That is felt instead of heard

But it says much more

Than language ever could

And every little step

Every single step

Is one step closer

One step closer

One step closer

To being understood

Nikkolis bowed dramaticly as he sang the last of his lyrics and in response Rose spun into a curtsey, both of them smiling at each other. Nikkolis looked around and up at the sky, "I should be getting you back the sun is almost completely down now." Rose looked around and reluctantly started walking away from the waters edge, Nikkolis was at her side and took her arm in his, the walked silently back home and Nikkolis stayed outside as she entered. When she looked back at him he smiled, "Im just going to stay out here for a while, i'll be in shortyl, you get to sleep now Rose." Rose turned and shut the door, as soon as she was gone Nikkolis walked tot he back of the house towards the ocean. He took a seat on a large boulder and looked out towards the dark horizon.

Miles and Miles Luccas, woke from one of his normal night terrors focusing on that dreadful morning four years ago. He looked around and didn't see Erik at all. "I can't believe he let me sleep through her entire birthday..." He pushed himself out of bed and walked out towards the beach enterence to the opera house dungeons. The moon and already risen and its bright light shined accross the oceans surface. He couldn' help but think about her, where she was, what she was doing, if she was happy or not...

**Luccus:**

Where did she go?

Where can she be?

When will she come again

Calling to me?

Calling to me...

Calling to me...

Somewhere there's a girl

Who's like the shimmer of the wind upon the water

Somewhere there's a girl

Who's like the glimmer of the moonlight on the sea

Somewhere there's a girl

Who's like a swell of endless music

Somewhere she is singing

And her song is meant for me

**Nikkolis:**

her voice

It's sweet as angels sighing

And her voice

It's warm as summer sky

And that sound

It haunts my dreams

And spins me 'round

Until it seems

I'm flying...

Her voice

**Luccus:**

I can sense her laughter

In the ripple of the waves against the shoreline

I can see her smiling

In the moonlight as it settles on the sand

I can feel her waiting

Just beyond the pale horizon

Singing out a melody too lovely to withstand

**Nikkolis:**

her voice

It's there as dusk is falling

And her voice

It's there as dawn steals by

Pure and bright, it's always near

All day, all night

And still I hear it calling...

Her voice

Strange as a dream...

**Luccus:**

Real as the sea...

**Both**:

If you can hear me now

**Nikkolis:**

Come set me free...

**Luccus:**

Come set me free!


	10. Chapter 10

**A.N: ****i only own my origional characters, none of the lyrics or the origional phantoms characters. enjoy!**

Rose woke the next morning to the slamming of cupboards and yelling of Raoul. She snuck to the door in her nightgown and peeked threw its cracks. Raoul was running through the house, red-faced and stumbling, obviously drunk already and it wasn't even noon. Nikkolis was sitting at the dinning table stirring his morning tea, and staring off in the distance. Christine was following desperately behind her husband trying to calm him down. There was a knock at the door that went un noticed to everyone but Rose, so she took to opening the door. The man behind it smiled cheerfully trying his best to ignore the rampage going on behind her. "Your mail is here today Miss De Changy." Rose took the lonely letter and smiled at the man, "Thank you sir, but its Miss Rose, if you don't mind." Her words were spoken in a hushed whisper and the man nodded and took his leave. Rose shut the door behind him and looked down at the letter in her hands, that was addressed to herself, from the opera populare in Paris, she stood there for a moment gapeing before returning unnoticed to her room, shutting the door behind her. "Christine, i don't unsterstand how we are this pressed for money..what in gods good name have you been buying..what more could you possibly need? Fifty new gowns this week?" Raoul stumbled again.." You mean to tell me that we have almost no money left..."

Christine was backing away from him, "Not enough to pay this months payments no Raoul..everything we had saved up is just about gone..with my shopping and your drinking.." Raoul threw the glass he was clutching to the floor, "My drinking has NOTHING to do with our money problems Christine and so help me..." The yells about money and the empty threats reached Rose in muffled bursts, she heard it all but as she read the letter she had now opened a plan was begining to form and nest its way into her mind.

_Dearest Rose,_

_We have all missed you and your family greatly here at the opera house, and being that your birthday is almost upon us we all wanted to wish you the very best in comming of age. I took the liberty of addressing this letter to you alone, seen as how all of my letters to your mother have gone, month we will be holding our annual Masquerade, here at the opera house and as always you and yours are welcome to attend. We are also willing to offer you and your mother positions back here if you decide to stay on. Enclosed are Boat tickets for your family and yourself. We miss you all terribly and would love to see you there. My best wishes and hopes for you little Rose._

_- Madame Giry_

Rose folded the paper and placed it in one of the pockets in her nightgown. The yelling had reached a high peek again as Rose exited the room again. She waited only a second before clearing her throat quite loudly, everyone looked her way, a purple vein appearing on Raouls for head.

" I have and idea..."

Raoul snickered and stumbled forward toward her. "And what,speaking mime, is that?"

Rose looked at Raoul and threw on her sweetest smile, "We could go back to Paris..for there masquaded ball? I could preform there and Mother and i could return to working there...we would make back the money in a short time." Roul was stareing at her blankly confused by the amount of words leaving her mouth. Christine looked hesitant "Rose i don't think that"

"That is exactly your problem Christine, you DON't think...what would you perform Rose?" Raoul looked at her and Rose saw for the first time pride in his eyes..but she knew it was only at the thought of using her for money. "I was thinking that Nikkolis and I could dance there...and i could sing.." Nikkolis had started choking from shock at her saying his name and christine looked at her with all of the confusion in the world..the only one who seemed to understand how brilliant her idea was, was Roul who had already left to make arrangements. Christine slumped into a chair not speaking, knowing there was no way of protesting now that Raoul had made up his mind. Nikkolis was at Rose's side now " Where did this come from Rose?" his tone was hushed and she looked up at him, "I recieved a letter from madame Giry...offering our jobs back.." Nikki opened his mouth to ask a thousand more questions but Rose beat him to it. "Will you perform with me Nikki?" She was staring off into her room and Nikkolis' mouth fell open..twice in one day she actually spoke his name...and more so had an actual conversation with everyone in the room. "Yes" She nodded and walked away to go pack locking her words back up inside her, Nikkolis stared after her in amazement.


	11. Chapter 11

_ _~* __**A.N. **__I do not own any of the original Phantom characters, or the music that appears in the story. Now that the disclaimers are out of the let me start by apologizing for not putting anything up here in a while. I did not have internet for the longest time so it made things really difficult to update my story. This next chapter is very short and i'm very sorry for that but please know that I AM still writing this story and i have many things planned for it. Please comment on it and let me know what you think, feedback REALLY is the BEST motivator. 3 Thank you all so so much for reading, you all mean the world to me! 3 *~_ _

Rose fell against the railing of the boat breathing hard against the constriction caused by her corsett. Her feet were aching just as much as her lungs so she lowered herself to sit against the railing and give them a break. The salty water from the sea sprayed up in her face and she tilted her head in its direction welcoming it. The boat was moving at a fast and steady pace, they would be back in Paris sooner than expected. Rose watched the waves roll for a few more minutes before a soft tapping sounded behind her and her whole body cringed away from the sound.

"Come on Rose, enough resting...if you want to get this down before we get back you have to push passed the pain." Nikki was tapping his foot against the wooden deck, impatiently waiting for Rose to get back on her feet to continue tonight's lesson. Rose pulled herself up off of the floor clinging to the railing for support. " Nikki, this is madness...we started this at sunrise, and now...now the sun is setting and all you give me is a 5 minute break?"

" We have limited time to teach you everything AND perfect the dance before we get back...i would have thought you to be more determined than this Rose.."

Rose sucked in a breath and balled her fists, "I am determined Nikki...now where were we?" Nikki took her waist in one hand and her hand in the other. "Here, I think Rose.." Rose nodded and listened as he counted off their steps and then followed where he lead. The practiced like that for a few more hours until Christine finally called it quits for the night, causing Rose to almost hug her mother out of pure happiness...or delusion from the pain in her feet. It took girls years to learn what Nikki was teaching Rose in a week, and he wasn't going easy on her, not in the slightest. They practiced from sunrise until Christine made them stop every day since they left America. Nikki and Christine both were impressed with how quickly Rose had been catching on, she had never danced back in Paris just played her Cello, so this was interesting for them both to witness. The days passed that way until the morning Rose had been waiting for fell upon them. When she woke that morning she had gotten ready for practice just as she had every day but when she left her room and made her way up to the top deck of the ship the soft glimmer of lights against the water caught her eye, and then stole her breath away. She was staring at home, long gone and now returned, they would be pulling into the harbor in a matter of minutes and Rose was fighting for breath. A warm hand on her shoulder nearly caused her to jump out of her skin.

"Your mother said i should give you a break this morning, and let you get ready for the performance in your own way," Nikki spoke and shrugged his shoulders. He would have much have run through the dances one more time before they preformed, but if Christine didn't think they needed it then he wasn't going to argue. Rose Nodded at him and turned back to look at the lights dancing across the water.

"Oh and Rose? Your mother also wanted me to tell you that she has your dress for tonight in her room and to put it on before we leave the ship, i'll have my suit on as well.". He turned and left and Rose thought about the night quickly approaching. She would be singing for the first time in public...and dancing in the masquerade. Her heart was pounding and her hands were shaking furiously. She was only worried about two things, not how well she and Nikki would do...not how well her voice would sound, she knew everything would be wonderful. What she was worried about was that the two people she wanted to see again would see her and hear her, and know she came back for them. Luccus' face popped into her head, the young boy she left behind and she wondered what he looked like now, if he remembered her and missed her as much as she did him.

_**Rose:**_

_I wonder would he even know me now_

_We were so young and it was long ago_

_Or will the memories rush back all at once with one hello_

_I wonder if he'll even know my name_

_Or must I remind him of those days_

_He used to love me then, he may still love me now_

_I wonder if this music takes him back_

_To when our world was one big fantasy_

_Lost in the darkness we'd go_

_- where only our hearts had been_

_I wonder if he still recalls my touch_

_I wish I could turn the clock somehow_

_He used to love me then, he may still me love me now_

_I wonder would me even know me now_

_We were so young and it was long ago_

_Or will the memories rush back all at once with one hello_

_I wonder if he'll even know my name_

_Or must I remind him of those days_

_He used to love me then, he may still love me now_

The boat lurched slightly as it rolled into the harbor causing Rose to be pulled from her song and rush to her mother's room to change her dress and ready for the night's plans.

__~* __**A.N. **__If any of you would like to listen to the songs featured in my story please let me know! They are all actual songs, just with a few minor lyric changes. *~__


	12. Chapter 12

__~* __**A.N:**__ Thank you all so much for waiting! Those of you who are still reading this story please leave a review or two and let me know what you think. Also if there are songs you think would fit nicely i would love to hear them, and possibly use them. As always I do not own any of the origional Phantom characters or the music that is sung through out the story. I hope all of you enjoy this next chapter. It is night one of the masquerade. Thank you all again! I love you all! *~__

Rose had been expecting to leave the ship right after it had docked, but instead she was sitting in her mother's room on the ship, letting her run a brush through her hair for the hundredth time. Christine had said that they should stay on the ship for as long as they could before the Masquerade started, so that their arival was more of a surprise. As much as the thought of not being in those walls for another moment tourmented Rose, she knew what her mother was saying was the right thing to do...even if she was questioning if that really was Christine's reason for not wanting to leave the ship just yet. So Rose sat in front of a full length mirror and watched as her mother brushed sections of hair and pinned others together. Her mother was doing a wonderful job, weaving and braiding her hair into the most elegant paterns. Her hair was still hanging passed her shoulders, but the back of it was braided and pinned to drape in the most breath taking of ways. When Christine was finished with Rose's hair she moved on to doing her make up. Her eyes were turned to a smokey blue, like the night sky to blend perfectly with the mask she would be wearing, and her bright green eyes shown stunningly in contrast with the dark blue. It was passed sunset when Rose was finally able to slip into her midnight blue dress that hung just above her knees, and into her matching ballet slippers that she had been practicing in so ferverantly latley. When she was finished getting ready Raoul and Nikki appeared right on que to escort her and her mother to the Masquerade. Rose wrapped her arm in Nikki's who was staring at her in amusement, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and he hoped more than anything, that he would get the courage to tell her. The four of them walked off of the boat and entered their carriage that was to take them to the opera house. Many people watched them, and tried their hardest to guess the faces hiding behind the masks but to no avail. Rose could see their destination from her window in the carraige and her stomach grew tight in anticipation, and nervousness of what was to come.

The week of the masquerade had always been one to set both Erik and Luccus on edge, they both sat at opposite sides of the giant underground lair, deep in thought both about the same thing, to an extent. They missed her...more than anything they wanted to hear her laughter and singing ring through the room again. They were both happiest when she was around. And now, all of the talk of masks around the opera house reminded them even more of Rose and how she had hated the masks they wore... and of how they werent allowed to wear them around her. Erik was mummbleing something under his breath that Luccus couldnt hear, and he didnt go out of his way to eaither. In one swift move Erik placed his mask on and stormed towards one of the exits up to the main floors of the opera house, leaving Luccus alone to wallow in his thoughts.

No response...Madame Giry had sent the letter weeks ago...and Rose never responded. He couldnt help but think that maybe she didn't want to come back...maybe she was truely happy wherever she was. The thought of her being happy without him made him sick, and then realizing his selfishness, his stomach twisted tight with anger at himself. He rather her be happy...every day...even if he wasn't there, but he wished that he could be. He thumbed the mask that was clutched in his fingers, and thought for a second, that if he were to put it on, she would appear and swipe it away from him,giggling while she did...like she used to. A small pang drummed in his stomach..he missed her so much. Luccus rose from his spot on one of the stone steps and put his mask on, he didn't want to stay down there alone and cling to false hopes. He began making his way up to the ball room where the masquerade was being held. Thoughts of Rose swirling around in his head.

_**Luccus:**_

_The day starts, the day ends_

_Time crawls by_

_Night steals in, pacing the floor_

_The moments creep,_

_Yet I can't bear to sleep_

_Till I hear you sing_

_And weeks pass, and months pass_

_Seasons fly_

_Still you don't walk through the door_

_And in a haze_

_I count the silent days_

_Till I hear you sing once more._

_And sometimes at night time_

_I dream that you are there_

_But wake holding nothing but the empty air_

_And years come, and years go_

_Time runs dry_

_Still I ache down to the core_

_My broken soul_

_Can't be alive and whole_

_Till I hear you sing once more_

_And music, your music_

_It teases at my ear_

_I turn and it fades away and you're not here_

_Let hopes pass, let dreams pass_

_Let them die_

_Without you, what are they for?_

_I'll always feel_

_No more than halfway real_

_Till I hear you sing once more._

Luccus pressed lightly against a paneling on the nearest wall to him, and a hidden door opened. He waited a few seconds and listened for noise of passersby before sliding out into the shadows of one of the opera house corridors. There was a hushed roar not too far off, people calling out to one another for instructions on where to be and what to do. The doors to the opera populaire will open in just a few moments for a large crowd to witness and partake in this weekend's three night masquerade. Luccus stopped, still, becoming one of the shadows as a small group of ballet girls went prancing down the corridor towards the ballroom, and focal point for the masquerade. The young man in the shadows went completely unnoticed, just like always. When the girls were far gone, Luccus continued on his own way to the ballroom, planning to slip into the crowd and ,just for a moment, feel like he belonged somewhere. It was true that masquerades held a bitter spot in his heart, and his master's, but still they were drawn to them. It was the only time they could stand shoulder to shoulder with someone and not have them flee in fear. Luccus knew Erik would be there too, watching, listening, and remembering.

The opera house doors were opened and hordes of guests filed through them, all wearing masks and extravagant gowns and suits. Luccus looked down at himself, he was wearing a suit darker than the night sky, and his mask matched perfetly, it was simple and captivating, one of Erik's best creations. He stood on the edge of a shadow for a few more minutes, and when the next wave of guests rushed in, Luccus stepped forward to join them in entering the ballroom. It was even more glamorous than the years before, as well as the people who filled its walls. Soft music was being played and some were already swaying and spinning to it. Luccus stood close to the middle of the room, soaking up everything around him, listening to people's conversations, imagining what he would say if he were part of them. One conversation caught his attention...and held it.

"CHRISTINE DAAE!"

"MEG!"

Luccus' head turned quickly in the direction of the high pitched calls, his eyes locked on to the two women talking animatedly to one another, while the man beside them looked around the room searching for something..someone..he was never going to find.

"Oh Christine, mother and I are so very happy you and your family decided to come back!"

Meg hugged Christine for what must have been the fifth time, and smiled happily up at Raoul. Some of the people around them were whispering and eying Christine with surprised delight. Luccus' chest was on fire, and it took him a moment to realize that he had stopped breathing entirely. He let his breath out and took in fresh air, heart hammering in his chest. Madame Giry...and her blonde lily of a daughter had lied to Erik...She had said that no news had been heard of them. But there they stand beside her Christine whispering something, smiling brightly to Meg, Raoul still searching the many faces in the room for one in particular. Two...two out of the four who had left are standing there...where was she then? Luccus pulled his gaze away from the talking women and the concern faced man and started scanning the crowd himself. Masks, everywhere he looked that is what he found, but surely he would know her when he saw her but still, he couldn't find musicians stopped their playing for a moment and a strong voice rang across the crowd, causing every head to turn, including Luccus, all eyes falling on Madame Giry.

"Ladies and gentleman, as a surprise opening performance, to you, our honored guests, I am very pleased to introduce Nikkoli De'Lacruez, and making her singing debut at long last...Miss Rose Daae!"

Luccus' eyes were scanning again, all sound at that moment being drowned out by the thundering of his heart, making its way out of his chest. The room was plunged into complete darkness, and a few people let out startled gasps. At first Luccus thought the lights had something to do with Erik, but slowly a soft blue light rose from the very center of the ballroom. Men and women began backing away, Luccus stayed his ground until he was right at the edge of the crowd. They had made a large circular space, the only two within the empty circle, was a tall handsome young man, and a remarkabley, stunning young woman, dressed in midnight blues, black, and silver. The young man was starring down lovingly at the woman, who was slowly glancing around the room. Her eyes beamed a bright green from behind the blue mask she wore, her rosey red lips turned up in a small familiar smile. She raised a small delicate hand and brushed a stray curl behind her shoulder, Luccus' eyes locked onto the glimmering bracelet that clung nicely to her wrist. It was covered with dark obsidian music notes, but there was a charm that hung lower than the rest. Swaying with the movement of this beautiful girl's hand, was a small rose made from rubies and emeralds. The hammering in Luccus's chest silenced for a second and returned as very fast, quiet sputters.

It was her, he knew it in his heart, this was his Rose, his best friend, his lost love. He went to take a step forward, to call to her, but as he did Rose lifted her arms and wrapped them gently around Nikkoli's neck, Luccus was frozen by the time Nikkoli had his arms firmly around her waist. Pain etched its way from his stomach up to his heart. The annoying boy, the one who followed her around all of the time and grown into a very handsome man, and he had his arms around Rose, holding her close all eyes on the two of them. Luccus wished for a second he could look away, feeling he was going to be sick, but in that moment the musicians had started playing. Rose inhaled and began to sing, being lead around the room by Nikkoli, both one with each other gliding with the music trusting each other, captivating all in the room.

_**Rose:**_

_We are the lucky ones_

_We shine like a thousand suns_

_When all of the color runs together_

_I'll keep you company_

_In one glorious harmony_

_Waltzing with destiny forever_

_Dance me into the light_

_Underneath the moon shining so bright_

_Turning me into the night_

_Time dances whirling past_

_I gaze through the looking glass_

_And feel just beyond my grasp is heaven_

_Sacred geometry_

_Where movement is poetry_

_Visions of you and me forever_

_Dance me into the light_

_Underneath the moon shining so bright_

_Turning me into the night_

_Dance me into the light_

_Underneath the moon shining so bright_

_Let the dark waltz begin_

_Oh let me wheel - let me spin_

_Let it take me again_

_Turning me into the night..._

The last note was held as Rose twirled round and round, she came to rest back in Nikkoli's arms as her last note ended and the crowd went wild with applause, louder than any Luccus had ever heard before. He had missed it so much, her voice that had just finished echoing off of the walls, as he wiped a few shed tears from his face. She was beautiful, and the performance itself was spectacular, never mind the man at her side, Luccus could feel her music calling to him, he could feel her reaching out, not only to him, but to Erik as well. Rose was slightly bowing, in awe of the contiued applause, smiling from ear to ear. It seemed for a while that the roar would never die down, until Nikkoli raised a hand and beckond for silence. Within a few seconds the room fell quiet, Rose glancing from the crowd to Nikkoli with a curious gaze, she didn't know what was going on. Nikkoli took Rose's hands in his but adressed the audiance around him, before her.

"She is a spectical, is she not?" The crowd applauded shortly before letting him continue.

"I have been with Rose for most of my life, as a young child i clung to her like a weed, and as we grew up together across the seas I was able to witness her bloom into the astonishing flower you see before you." Rose's cheeks flushed a light pink color and her hands began shaking slightly. Whispers were starting around in the crowd and others began hushing them, trying to hear what Nikkoli would say next. Luccus was staring at the man with growing panic, he had seen this sort of thing happen many times from the shadows of the opera house, but this time he didn't want to watch, or hear anymore of what he had to say, but clinging to the hope that he was jumping to coclusions he stayed still in his spot as Nikkoli turned back to face Rose.

" Every day that I have spent with you is an incredible gift, whether you were shooing me away as a child or dancing on the beach with me in the states. Every single second is a miracle to me, so Rose, my dearest friend... I have a very important favor to ask of you." Luccus' chest tightend and his face went paler than the dead, he drew in a jagged breath and held, eyes fixed on the demon speaking in front of him. He watched as he lowered himself to one knee, and blocked out the many whispers and squeals from the people around him. Nikkoli reached into his over coat pocket and pulled out a very small velvet covered box, as a tear escaped down Luccus' cheek.

" Rose I truthfully love you, with all of my heart, i can only hope you feel the same, so would you do me the great honor of marrying me?" Nikkoli popped open the velvet case to reveal a very elegant blue diamond ring, with platinum band. Cheers sprang at the question and then quickly died down. Luccus' eyes were clouded with tears but had left Nikkoli, to rest on the astonished face of his beloved Rose.

Her lips parted for a moment as she stared down at Nikkoli and then closed tightly as she glanced around the room, for who? For a while it seemed she wouldn't speak, it seemed that she had locked her words away and wouldn't let them out. She was thinking long and hard, to the crowd it would seem that she was teasing Nikki, making him wait for the obvious yes she would give. But Rose was thinking of a way out, a way of saying no without breaking his heart. Her mind hatched a plan and with such pressure on her, she went with it straight away.

"Nikki...I-...I am over joyed...I can hardly think of anything to sa-"

The sudden flurry of a shadow caught Rose's eyes she watched as a member of the crowd closest to her turned and began moving away in fluid strides. No one took notice, all eyes were on her. Her heart felt like it was going to shatter, she wanted more than anything to call that person back, knowing in her heart what face hides behind that disappearing mask. In a rush she turned her gaze back on Nikki, letting Luccus leave, for now. When she spoke again her voice was strong and rather playful as she gently pulled Nikki from his knee, to stand beside her.

" Nikki my closest friend, you know all of my secrets in this world. And you and I have often played games with one another...so as an answer to this most indearing question I will leave you with a proposition." She took in a deep breath and smiled wonderfuly for the attention captured crowd.

"Tomorrow I will dance with any masked man that would also like my hand, and if by some odd chance i can find one who captures my heart more than you, dear Nikki, I will marry him. Are you willing to bet that you will hold my heart over all?" Rose flashed him her smile, eyes capturing his, taunting him playfully with her gaze. She watched as he closed the ring box and started to laugh as he bent forward to press his lips against her forehead.

"There is no one in this earth who loves you more than I, I accept your challenge, so the question remains, until tomorrow." Nikki kissed her forehead one last time before turning away and slipping through the crowd toward Raoul and her mother. Rose turned and confronted the gossiping crowd with confidence.

"It gives you all a reason to come back again tomorrow night...what will my answer be, ah, but until then, please enjoy the masquerade... maestro please!." With a wave of her hand the music started again and the crowd began dancing around her. With a stern look washing over her face Rose weaved her way to the ballroom door and made her escape down the poorly light corridor. Tears of humiliation and shame washed down her face. Rose broke into a run once she was far enough away from the ballroom not to be seen, her feet barely making any noise as she moved. She wasn't sure where she was going, she could barely see through the tears but her feet kept her moving. After a while she became short for breath and slowed to a stop, sitting on the bottom step of a stair well.

She sat there and thought about what had just happened, she loved Nikki, in some way, she knew that deep down, but the love she had for him wasn't the kind of love that would make her marry him, that love was saved for someone else. Someone who had seen the performance he was meant to see, hear the song she was singing for him, someone who watched until he couldn't anymore, how horrible this surprise must have been for him.

Rose wiped the last of her tears from her eyes and looked around for signs of where in the opera house she had wound up. Everything in front of and beside her looked like any other corridor, but as she glanced up the stairwell. A small smile found its way back onto her lips as she stood and started to climb the stairs. The door at the top was slightly cracked and the light from the moon and the stars was shinning brightly through. She pressed softly against the door and opened it with out making any noise, she moved forward and studied the space around her. Everything was just the same as she left it, every last detail down to the masked figure nestled against her favorite statue. Only what was once a young boy was now grown into stunning young man. Rose took another step forward, her ears just catching the sound of soft crying that was being muffled by the blowing wind and falling snow. She was drawn even closer to him still, and her movements went unnoticed until her shadow wrapped around him, in an embrace she wish she could find the courage to give him.

Luccus looked up for the source of the shadow and almost fell backwards off of the roof. If anything was certain in this world it was how like her father she was, no one else would have been able to get that close to him without him knowing. Luccus reached up and wiped the tears from his face, " You were wonderful tonight Rosey." His eyes were scanning the air around her, not able to look her in the eye. He didn't want to know what they were going to say to him. 'I'm sorry that I moved on and found someone else. Why couldn't you have moved on too? Please don't make this hard for me...I never really loved you.' His heart tore at the possibilities of what she could possibly want with him now. He would move the earth for her if he could, yet she simply cast him aside. Rose sat down on the ledge beside him, stealing a quick glance over the edge before looking back at him.

"Thank you...Luccus..." His name left her lips in a sigh, filled with so many things; concern for him, contentment at being beside him again, and longing, to tell him every single thing that has been on her mind since the day she left, right up until this very second. A damp spot on his cheek he had missed glistened, and she reached forward to wipe it away, instinctively he pulled away, and looked at her, slightly alarmed, forgetting for a second who was sitting beside him.

"You are looking at me like I am a stranger...you pull away from me...Luccus what happened down there it-"

"You really don't have to explain anything to me Rose, I understand, really I do...I really couldn't be happier for you, I'm just a little shocked is all, it all happened so suddenly."

Rose shook her head and looked passed him at the city's night lights.

"I am too...more than shocked actually, that you of all people would believe even for a second, that i could give my heart away to someone other...than you."

Luccus was staring straight at her now, mouth hanging slightly open, unable to speak. He watched as she rose from her spot beside him and began walking slowly towards the door.

"What do you mean Rose?"

"Only that i wish you had stayed, for my answer that is...then perhaps you would know how unneeded those tears are, I didn't give him an answer Luccus."

"Not an answer? So you didn't say no either?"

"Luccus, I...I do love him, even he knows I love him, while we were gone he helped me keep living, believe me, there were so many times I wanted to give up, but he was there to help me"

"I would have helped if i could have.."

"I know...but I need you to know that...he isn't the annoying boy from the past, he is important to me...but you will always be the one that my heart belongs to. There should never have been a question of that."

"Why?"

"..excuse me?"

"Why? Why didn't you say yes, you would be better off with him anyway, happier in the long run, why did you choose to stay with me?"

Tears were starting to well in Rose's eyes she couldn't believe he was saying things like that, she continued walking again coming to a stop just outside of the door, her gaze went from the moon and stars in the sky back to Luccus.

"Because I don't want to do what everyone thinks is best for me, I don't want to do what everyone else thinks will make me happiest...because despite what people think, you made me happy, all of those years ago...and i know you will make me happy now. I missed you so much while I was gone, there was not a single day where I didn't think about you and dad and wondered how I could get back to you...and missing you, made me love you even more."

Luccus was by her side in seconds driven by something he couldn't explain, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly to his chest, her head rested there as her arms found their way around him. Luccus pulled away to look down at her, green eyes shinning up at him from behind her mask. Now he knew what it was she hated about them, it was hiding her from him, he reached forward and removed her mask, letting it fall to the floor. He brushed a thumb across her cheek, he knew his mask was the next to go and this time he didn't move as she reached for him, her fingers swiftly pulled the mask off and she too let it fall to the floor.

"Say it again Rose...say..that you love me.." Rose smiled up at him as she caressed the spot where his mask used to be.

"I love you."

Luccus dipped forward, still holding her face in his hands and pressed his lips gently against hers, afraid she might try and pull away. Instead he felt her arms wrapping around him again as she returned his kiss more passionately than he had started it, which was fine with stayed in each others embrace, not wanting to pull away, not wanting this moment to end. But after a long few moments, Luccus broke their kiss, with heavy reluctance.

"If you didn't say yes..and you didn't say no...what are you going to do Rose?" It took Rose a few seconds to catch her breath before answering his question.

"I have an Idea.. but we are going to need help."


	13. Chapter 13

** _~*{Hello everyone! As always i only own Rose, Luccus, and Nikki. Everyone else belongs to their origional owners. I also do not own the songs in this story. I hope you all enjoy the next chapter! I love you all! }*~_**

Luccus had stared at her in confusion when she told him to go back to the cellars and wait for her. She told Luccus to explain the situation, so far, to her father and reassured him that she would come to him as soon as she was able. He left her with strong reluctance, he just got her back, leaving her alone again seemed an impossible feat. But after a few moments of contemplation he left for the cellars and waited there anxiously for her.

Rose was on her way back to the masquerade to find her mother, but it seemed that wasn't necessary because as Rose rounded a corner leading to the ball she was stopped by a woman of about the same height and posture, wearing an ocean blue gown and a white domino.

"Mother?"

Christine opened the door beside her and ushered her daughter through with a the door was shut behind them Christine removed her mask, Rose went to do the same, but realized that hers was missing from her face.

" You know..i knew in my heart that you would go to them tonight..I new it in my gut the moment you mentioned returning here. My husband was too blinded by the money to care of the dangers he was putting us all in by returning...but I knew. And look, you didn't even last an hour, from the time we walked off of the ship."

Rose cast a worried glance at the door and then to her mother.

"Oh please Rose don't look at me like that, you know I only want what is best for you."

"But mother, who is to say that they are not what is 'best for me?' What is so wrong with me loving them and wanting to be with them."

"Erik...your...father..he is a murderer, a genius, builder, designer, magician, and an extraordinary musician...but a murderer still. And that boy who stays locked away with him, has no doubtingly murdered his fair share of people as well."

Rose's fists balled at her sides as she stepped forward, "Luccus has never killed...not once. He may have been with papa and he may have watched the murders happen but he would never kill someone...he just wouldn't. "

Christine saw the fire in her daughter's eyes, bits of yellow that wove their way into her miraculous green eyes whenever she was angry or extremely sad. Erik's did it too, she backed away from her daughter and continued on with their talk.

"Very well, Luccus may not kill as you have said, but he still hides in shadows and resorts to trickery for a majority of his daily life, Rose, what kind of life is he able to offer you? Will you live in those cellars, shrouded in darkness with him and your father for the rest of your life? And a family? Will you raise children there as well? With Nikkoli you could be free to go where ever you wanted, walk through a market and not have to worry about the gazes you would receive, and your children would be able to live peacefully amongst others of their age...they wouldn't be locked away in a dungeon with two demons and their hypnotized flower..."

Rose was shaking at that point, her eyes, now a strange mix of yellow and green, were filled with tears of frustration.

"Mother please, whatever life Luccus and I have together will be wonderful to me...i just want to be with him...Nikki..he is a dear friend, but, I don't want to spend the rest of my life with him, as my husband, I want him there as my closest friend, like he has been since I can remember. I love him, I do, but he...he..isn't the one..."

Her voice trailed off into an inaudible whisper. Thoughts and memories whipping their way around inside her head until something clicked in her mind, bits of old stories her mother and father both had told her falling simultaneously in place. Her eyes moved and locked on Christine's, with no intention to break their contact Rose spoke.

" I would have thought, mother, that you would be a little more understanding of my situation.." Rose still had her eyes fixed on her mother's, which had a distant glazed look about them. "I would have thought you, better than anyone, would realize how trapped I would feel tonight. Split between my childhood companion that i grew to love above all others, and the man who had kept me safe and sane in my darkest of moments. You made that decision once too, did you not?" Christine was hearing everything Rose was saying but what she was seeing was not her daughter's unfaltering gaze, but the memories that she was hinting to. Christine watched as she, heard 'the voice' for the first time, she watched herself at one of her 'singing lessons', she watched as her relationship with Erik morphed from 'teacher and student' to 'awkward lovers'. Her eyes began to well with tears as she saw Raoul appear in her dressing room one night and then a flash of heart ache she had seen in Erik's eyes. She watched still as Erik gave her a choice, to stay with him or go with Raoul. She remembered the feeling of being trapped in a cage as she made her decision. She chose the one she thought would be easier, the one she thought would make her happiest...how could she have known that she had chosen wrong when she had left with Raoul? Raoul who could give her everything in the world except for the one thing she wanted most. His music, Erik's music, his tentative touch, and his unyielding adoration. Christine saw next the night shortly before her wedding to Raoul, the night she fled from her home and found Erik, hidden away at the time. When they saw each other no words were spoken, she ran to him, and he to her. That night she had came to the conclusion that her decision was wrong...she didn't want to marry Raoul what she wanted was Erik, but when she woke, he was gone. She threw all hopes of being with him again out the window and returned to Raoul, to start a life of lies she had created for herself, a life she didn't want, the one she did want was no where to be found. Christine was able to see her daughter once more, and the eyes that were a constant reminder of the life she could have had. The tears fell from her eyes as she went to speak, but found that she couldn't.

"How could you put me in this position mother...either way i choose...i can not win, for some one will have their heart broken."

Christine was still unable to speak, Rose's words and the memories they had caused had woken up a feeling that Christine had locked away for eighteen years. Christine was still fumbling with what to say when a voice sounded form behind both of them, the voice of someone she had forgotten was hiding in the inner room.

"Don't you worry about anyone's feelings dear Rose. Only worry about yourself, you deserve to be happy with whom ever you wish. I only wish you had been honest with me tonight, and had given me the real reason for your refusal to take my ring."

Nikkoli walked into the main room where the two women were conversing and rested his hand lightly on the sofa that Christine had sunk into the moment Rose had released her from her gaze to look at him. Rose was trembling with guilt and she lowered her head, refusing to look him in the eye.

"Nikki..I."

"Don't want to marry me...yes I know...i heard. Rose why couldn't you have just said no?"

Rose was still looking at the floor she wanted very badly to stop herself from speaking, to lock her words away like she always did, but her body was betraying her and her words tumbled from her mouth.

"I didn't want to embarrass you by just blatantly saying no. Nikki I may not want to be your wife...but it doesn't mean that i still don't have feelings for you...that I don't love you, because i do...its just..well i was stuck and the stupid competition was the first thing to swing into my mind...so I went with it."

Nikkoli shook his head a sad smile turning up the corners of with mouth. He left his spot beside Christine moved to stand right in front of Rose. He took her chin in his hand a raised it so that she had to look at him. When her green eyes found his blue he started to speak.

"Out of all of the years i have known you, not once before today have I heard you say those words to me...that you love me...is it true Rose, do you? Even though you do not want to marry me, is it true that you love me?"

Rose nodded slightly, unable to say it again, her body was finally slowing the amount of words she would say, finally letting her have a guarded conversation. Nikki's smile was a little less sad when she nodded her head, and his hands came to rest on her shoulders, keeping his eyes locked on hers. "Then I will continue on with the show tomorrow as planned, and I will play the part of the overly shocked lover when you choose someone else over me. You can have the life you want with him, but please Rose, please promise me something?"

She nodded again and raised a hand to rest against the one on her left shoulder.

"Promise me that you won't ever shut me out. I have prided myself on always being there for you, let me continue to be there when you need me, please don't keep me in the dark when it come to matters of...them." They way he said 'them' let Rose know he was speaking of her father and Luccus, the thought of having him know those secrets made her uneasy but still...she owed him this much. She could still see the pain that was being well controlled behind his ocean eyes and it was slowly started to shred her heart.

"I promise Nikki."

His smile grew wider and he pulled her into a tight embrace. After a couple seconds he pulled away and moved to the door to hold it open for her.

"Enjoy the rest of your night then Mademoiselle." Rose walked through the door with Nikki right behind her, Christine had waved him away when he had called to her and she looked to be very deep in thought so he left her resting there on the sofa. Rose turned in the direction of the spiral staircase, eager to inform Luccus of her plan for tomorrow but Nikki called from behind her.

"Rose? Aren't you returning to the masquerade tonight?" Rose looked back him for a moment and the shook her head.

"No I'm not, I have plans to make for tomorrow dear Nikki. And I have yet to see my Father." She did as she had promised and kept nothing from him, he had asked and she had answered, still his expression fell a bit as he gave her a small bow.

"Very well then Rose, be safe, I'll do my best to keep Raoul and Miss Christine off of your trail. Until tomorrow...Little Lotte."

As Nikki walked off towards the masquerade Rose couldn't help but stare after him. She knew that pet name had been given to her mother by Raoul when they were children, because of a story that her grandfather had told her parents when they were young. But this was the first time that the nickname had been given to her, and she wondered why Nikki had called her by it all of a sudden. Rose turned away from the puzzling question and headed back toward the spiral staircase.

Rose reached the corridor by the staircase and knew there was a pressure point near by that would open the wall of her to enter into the cellars below. It took all of two minutes for her to find it, and begin making her way down to her father's house across the underground lake. Rose was still easily able to navigate the ever confusing turns and drops on her way to her fathers home. She found her way to the shore of the lake and carefully made her way to the boat, making sure to stay clear of the traps that would inform her father of her arrival. She lowered herself into the boat and pulled the ore free and sunk it slowly into the dark water. She pushed away from the shore and started out onto the lake. A short while she found herself approaching a different shore and flawlessly docked the boat and made her way to her father's incredible domain.

Luccus was the first one to spot her, but he said nothing, just simply looked to where Erik was sitting, his back to both of them, concentrating on the organ before him. Rose kicked a small rock, sending it splashing into the lake behind her. The sudden break in silence caused Erik to turn, eyes falling on his daughter and staying there. He looked her over for a few seconds before calling to her in song.

_**Erik:**__ Wandering child, So lost, so helpless Yearning for my guidance_

Rose had heard this song before, re-sung for her during one of the stories her father had told her when she was younger, she smiled before continuing on with the lyrics changing a few to suit her better.

_**Rose**__: Angel or father? Friend or phantom? Who is it there, staring?_

_**Erik**__: Have you forgotten your Angel?_

_**Rose:**__ Father, oh, speak, What endless longings Echo in this whisper!_

_**Erik:**__ Too long you've wandered in winter far from my fathering gaze..._

_**Rose:**__ Wildly their minds beat against you..._

_**Erik:**__ You resist..._

_**Erik/Rose: **__and your/ but my soul obeys.._

_**Erik/Rose**__: Angel of Music, they denied me/you! Turning from true beauty! Angel of Music! Do not shun me/My protector! Come to your/me strange Angel..._

_**Rose:**__ I am your Angel of Music..._

_**Erik**__: Come to me; Angel of Music..._

Erik's last words melted into delighted laughter as he spread his arms wide, welcoming his daughter who was running toward him. When she was safely wrapped in his arms he picked her up and twirled her around. Laughing and smiling so much that warm tears fell from his eyes running down his cheek and mask. Rose pulled away from her father just enough so that that she could kiss his cheek, but when she did she found his white mask in her way. When he had set her down she gave him a scolding look as she pulled the mask away without asking. Her face gained a red tint as she took in the sight before her. In the years she had spent with her father she had always made sure that his open wounds were carefully looked after, cleaning out the small bits of puss that formed in some spots, and putting special ointment on the darkest scars. She had made great progress with him, slowly controlling his deformity, to make it almost bearable for normal people to see...almost. But as Rose looked upon her fathers unmasked face she gave a little sigh. Her father was the smartest man in the world. He knew everything there was to know about medicine, he was the one who taught her all she new about it, but she could tell that loosing her all of those years ago had meant he lost any will to try to take care of himself. He stopped preventing the infections that caused the puss, and stopped all treatment of his face what so ever. She shook her head before leaning toward him again, careful to avoid any festering wounds and placed a small kiss on one of his scars.

"Papa, you really should take better care of yourself. You know better than I that you could die from those infections."

Erik looked a bit ashamed as his daughter fussed over him, what she said didn't hurt him, or make him angry, she was speaking the truth. His beautiful little flower and tried her damnedest to get back to him...only to find that she was lucky he hadn't died in the mean time.

"Forgive your poor father for rash decisions of grief sweet child. I could not look upon those ointments and cloths without thinking about how kindly you cared for me, they were far too often a reminder that you weren't here. So I shut them away in a drawer and haven't looked upon them since."

Rose giggled softly as she set his mask down on a nearby table looking quickly at Luccus who had hastily taken his mask off after Rose had removed Erik's. He would not dare wear his when his master had to leave his off. Rose looked back to her father and smiled.

"All is forgiven papa, if only you could forgive me for staying away for so long."

Erik pulled her towards him and kissed her forehead gently.

"I will never forgive you for such a thing." His voice was full of his normal sarcastic humor, and Rose relaxed completely at his words. The three of them stood in silence for a few moments.

Luccus was the first one to break the silence, they had all come to sit together on the sofa's and chairs Erik had set up in his 'living room'.

"So Rosey, what did you do while you were gone? What did you do to pass the time I mean?"

Erik cast an irritated look his way before answering for his daughter. "Well surely she composed something grand on that cello of hers, or perhaps something for piano or organ?" Rose looked between the two of them and let out a small sigh of sadness.

"Actually I didn't do any of that papa.."

Both pairs of eyes were resting on her as she took a great breath and told her story from start to finish of the passed four years, starting of course, with the banishment of any musical activity by Raoul. Erik sneered at that and Luccus sat back in his chair clearly upset. She told them of the boring pattern that Raoul and her mother quickly fell into. She spoke of all Raoul's most horrible drunken stupors. She spoke for a while on Nikkoli and how he came to be a true friend, keeping her company and cheering her up on the days that all happiness had been taken from her, which happened more often that not. She went on and on talking about an odd story here or and exciting thing there, all the way until her eighteenth birthday. She told them,then, in a very timid voice, about the festival she had stumbled upon and how her disappearance had not gone unnoticed. When she started the part of the carriage ride home both men moved in their seat uncomfortably. When Rose told them that Raoul had hit her, and then tried to her hit her again, only to be stopped by Nikki, she paused. Her father was considerably red faced and his hands were threatening to splinter the arms of the chair he was sitting in. Luccus, however, had gone very white in the face, like all of his blood had been drained and transferred to her father. Poor Luccus looked like he was going to be sick. He couldn't stand child abuse, no matter how old the child was. He had gone though too much of it himself in his early years before Erik, so hearing that Rose had gone through even the tiniest bit of it made Luccus tremble and his hands grow damp with sweat. Quickly sensing the disturbance that bit of information had caused Rose continued on with her story, about Nikki coming to her and helping her feel better, and about her first dancing lesson. Luccus was gaining some color back and Erik was loosing some of his when he spoke.

"He taught you well child. Your performance tonight was...exceptional, your singing entrancing, and borderline hypnotic." He thought for a second and continued, "Be careful with that last power, hypnosis can destroy a persons mind if not done properly." Rose nodded her head, she hadn't intended to hypnotize anyone but if her father told her to do something she listened without fail. Erik continued to think and then asked a very simple question.

"What are your plans for tomorrow night Rose? Surely you didn't get just the announcement in planning, you must have some idea, have you?"

Rose nodded and then turned slyly to Luccus, "I was hoping that a certain phantom would be there to whisk me away.." she watched as the color in his face quickly disappeared again.

"Rose, I can't sing and dance in front of all of those people, ever since I came to The Opera i have been taught to be a shadow on the wall, and never draw attention to myself." Luccus looked to Erik for support and the air caught in his chest as he realized he wasn't going to find any there.

"Oh think about it Luccus," Rose said, becoming very animated and excited, "Everyone will be in masks no one will know who you are, but you could blow everyone in that room away tomorrow, and you would be dancing with me...i would be with you the whole time. It would be so...so...romantic." Her last word was no more than the quietest whisper, but it seemed to echo off of all of the walls around her, and both her face and Luccus' were scarlet red. There was a far off throat clearing and distant words that pulled the two love birds back to reality.

"I think it is a wonderful idea." With those words Erik had sealed Luccus' fate. There was no backing down he would be singing for the first time in public tomorrow. The thought of it made him completely terrified but the look of excitement on Rose's face kept his nerves in check. The trio talked more about this and that until slowly, Rose began to drift asleep. Erik put a pillow beneath her head and let her sleep until it was late into the night and he knew that the masquerade would be ending soon.

"Boy." Erik spoke in such a commanding tone that Luccus looked away from his sleeping flower, and focused on his disfigured master.

"Yes sir?"

"Take her to her Mothers old dressing room, the one with the mirror entry, its where the managers intend to put her tonight it quickly before her mother starts to look for her." Luccus nodded his head slightly as he stooped to pull Rose into his arms, careful not to wake her and whispered, "Yes, sir.", before making his way up to the room Erik had spoken of.

When Luccus reached the double sided mirror he kept Rose cradled in one arm and hit the apparatus that caused the glass to move out of his way. He stepped into the room and noticed right away that all of Rose's luggage had already been brought here. He walked over to her bed and pulled back the many blankets and covers before laying her down. As had finished pulling the last blanket over her feet when he felt the floor behind him move, and his body went tense, knowing that there was someone else in the room with them.

"You are lucky it is only me Phantom...could have been her parents..."

"The Phantom is one of her parents...Nikkoli."

Nikki laughed a bit as he continued to walk toward Luccus. "Oh so it is you, i couldn't tell which one of you it was in this ill light." Just when he was finishing his sentence he turned the oil up in the lamp and the room was flooded with light. Rose stirred for a moment before rolling over and drifting back off. Luccus straightened to stand at his full height an inch above Nikkoli

"What are you doing in her room Nikkoli?"

"I am the one who should be asking you that question, also, how did you get into her bedroom? the door was locked from the inside."

Luccus cringed before turning to face him. He watched as Nikkoli took a step back, Luccus' hand instinctively moved to his face and found that he had neglected to put is mask back on. Nikkoli collected his composure, and a small bit of sadness swept over his features, his eyes moving to rest on Rose.

"Was she happy? To be back there?"

Luccus was startled by the gentleness of the question, and the lack of poking fun at his scars, hesitantly he answered.

"She was, yes, she talked and talked herself to sleep." Nikkoli moved to stand beside him as he spoke, and Luccus had to fight the urge to move away. Nikki let the back side of his hand brush across Rose's cheek, and Luccus' stomach knotted in a thousand different places.

"I could get her to smile, even laugh form time to time. But She was never really happy." Nikki looked up form Rose and met Luccus' eyes. "I knew she wouldn't be unless she was able to get back home, back to her father...and to you." Luccus was silent for a moment over whelmed by the sadness in his voice, thinking of something to say.

"While we were together tonight, she told her father and I about her life away from happened to mention everything that you have done for her...thank you...for taking care of her..."

"Yes well, I wasn't exactly doing it for you...I do love her..."

"So do I."

"And she loves you..."

The room was silent, save for the light breathing coming from Rose, for both men had stopped breathing. Nikki cleared his throat and straightened his suit jacket.

"We should go and let her sleep, am I correct in assuming that you will be there tomorrow night? As my 'unsuspected competition'?"

"That is what she had planned, yes."

"Until tomorrow then...friend." Luccus wasn't sure if Nikki had used the word 'friend' with sarcasm or not, but as he was watching him leave he called his farewell. After the door closed Luccus bent over Rose and kissed the cheek that Nikki had caressed and then exited the room, in the same way he came.

Rose woke the next morning in her mother's old dressing room, and had a fairly good idea on how she had gotten there. A quick inspection of the room told her that all of her things had already been brought in and put in their proper place. Rose walked over to her wardrobe and thumbed through the various dresses and outfits she could wear. As she was about to pull one out to wear there was a loud familiar knocking against the door. She quickly found her over wrap dress and moved to open the door. Roul walked in followed closely by her mother who, while she looked happy, seemed to be completely far away.

"Your mother and I have come to bring you your dress for tonight Rose."

"We now that green is your favorite color so..."

Before his wife could finish Raoul unzipped the bag to reveal a beautiful rose stem green dress with a matching mask, that seemed to be made of vines.

"Thank you both so much."

Raoul walked past her and set the dress on her bed, starting to laugh a bit, wich caused Christine to look away from Rose, with a sort of ashamed look on her face.

"It was nothing short of brilliant what you did yesterday Rose."

This caused Rose to glance at Raoul with confusion at the odd praise."I'm sorry?"

"The managers are beside themselves and have agreed to pay you a fair percentage of whatever they make tonight. Luring more people in the drama of your romance, they thought it splendid. I won't lie, i didn't quite get it at first, and was slightly infuriated. But when your mother explained that it was simply for publicity..well..i could not have come up with a better idea."

Rose's eyes shot toward her mother who was still not looking at her. "It was nothing father...really."

"Nonsense...and you even had Nikkoli in on the whole thing, perfect."

"Yes, I supose it was perfect."

"But enough of this for now," he laughed, "You should be getting ready Rose. You still have to practice before the doors open."

He walked to the door, after taking Christine's arm in his. "I'll send Nikkoli here in just a few short minutes, hurry." And then they were gone.

Rose shook her head, she couldn't be mad, she acted her part well last night, of course everyone would have thought it was all for show, but she hadn't expected the managers, or even Raoul to react this way.

Nikkoli had come to her bedroom shortly after her parents had left, just like Raoul had said. He escorted her to one of the open areas of the opera house so they could practice away from the eyes of everyone else. He was his relentless self, never letting her rest unless the last move was seemed to have changed between them over night. Hours sped by until it was time for Rose to go change into her gown and mask. When she was fully dressed Rose made her way to the ball room. Nikkoli met her there, wearing a suit similar to the one he wore yesterday, but this one had little bits of the same green Rose wore, woven into his suit. "Are you ready?" He took her arm in his as he spoke and scanned the room in front of them.

"Yes, as ready as i ever will be."

"And is he?"

"...I'm...I'm sure he is."

Nikki nodded and swept her into the room, applause roared all around them as he made their way to the center of the room. Music was playing softly and the two of them danced together until the first participant asked to cut in. Nikkoli bowed, and let the man take Rose away. Rose spent the remainder of the masquerade being passed from man to man. until finally it seemed like there would be no other man to take her hand. As the song ended Nikki was back at her side, wrapping and arm around her waist."Was he any of the ones who danced with you Rose?"

She shook her head slightly, "Maybe he...maybe this was just too much for him." Her voice was sad, her head was swimming with a thousand different thoughts as Nikki spun her around. The music around her swelled and an elegantly beautiful voice rang out from somewhere in the crowd.

Its sudden appearance had caused Nikki to miss a step, but he quickly recovered. Both him and Rose were glancing curiously around the room looking for Luccus, but whenever they thought they pin pointed where the voice was coming from, it jumped to the opposite side of the room. Eventually they both gave up and danced to his music and that had washed over them like a wave of the ocean.

_**Luccus:**_

_A waltz when she walks in the room_

_She pulls back the hair from her face_

_She turns to the window to sway in the moonlight_

_Even her shadow has grace_

_A waltz for the girl out of reach_

_She lifts her hands up to the sky_

_She moves with the music_

_The song is her lover_

_The melody's making her cry_

_So she dances_

_In and out of the crowd like a glance_

_This romance is_

_From afar calling me silently_

_A waltz for the chance I should take_

_But how will I know where to start?_

_She's spinning between constellations and dreams_

_Her rhythm is my beating heart_

_So she dances_

_In and out of the crowd like a glance_

_This romance is_

_From afar calling me silently_

_I can't keep on watching forever_

_I give up this view just to tell her_

That is when she found where the voice was coming from, the young man stepped from the shadows and walked straight for her and Nikki. When he reached them he stopped and bowed towards Nikki, who hesitated slightly before passing Rose's hand to him and backing away. As Luccus' arms wrapped around her, she was sure she could feel him shaking slightly. When he started singing again she felt him relax and begin moving her around the room with all of the grace of an angel.

_When I close my eyes I can see_

_The spotlights are bright on you and me_

_We've got the floor_

_And you're in my arms_

_How could I ask for more?_

_So she dances_

_In and out of the crowd like a glance_

_This romance is_

_From afar calling me silently_

_I can't keep on watching forever_

_And I'm givin' up this view just to tell her_

"I Love you Rose..." The words were no more than a whisper, and he barely moved his lips to say them so she was positive that no one else could have heard them. She looked Up at him as another song started to play, "I love you too." He began dacing her around the room again, everyone seeming to be lulled into staying where they were while Luccus danced her around the room. Even Raoul, who Rose could see from across the room, and who was reader than tomato, was not moving from his spot. Once again Luccus started to sing as they danced around the room.

_**Luccus:**_

_Like the sound of silence calling,_

_I hear your voice and suddenly_

_I'm falling, lost in a dream._

_Like the echoes of our souls are meeting,_

_You say those words and my heart stops beating._

_I wonder what it means._

_What could it be that comes over me?_

_At times I can't move._

_At times I can hardly breathe._

_When you say you love me_

_The world goes still, so still inside and_

_When you say you love me_

_For a moment, there's no one else alive_

_You're the one I've always thought of._

_I don't know how, but I feel sheltered in your love._

_You're where I belong._

_And when you're with me if I close my eyes,_

_There are times I swear I feel like I can fly_

_For a moment in time._

_Somewhere between the Heavens and Earth ,_

_And frozen in time, Oh when you say those words._

_When you say you love me_

_The world goes still, so still inside and_

_When you say you love me_

_For a moment, there's no one else alive_

_And this journey that we're on._

_How far we've come and I celebrate every moment._

_And when you say you love me,_

_That's all you have to say._

_I'll always feel this way._

_When you say you love me_

_The world goes still, so still inside and_

_When you say you love me_

_In that moment,I know why I'm alive_

_When you say you love me._

_**Rose and Luccus:**_

_When you say you love me._

_Do you know how I love you?_

As the last of their words rang around the room, Rose stood in her tip toes and kissed Luccus. The crowd around them started to go crazy with applause, not quite sure exactly what they had just witnessed or why Rose had chosen this man over her fiance, but the voices the two young people possessed were simply marvelous. The roar of the crowd brought Rose back to reality, as she glanced around the room she noticed that Niki was no where to be seen...and that Raoul was pushing is way through the crowd to get to her. Luccus had noticed him at the same time she did and he was pulling her toward the ball room exit. Rose couldn't help herself and as she ran, bells of laughter poured from her throat.

**_~*{Okay everyone! Here is where i share a bit of interesting news for you. I have recently made a tumblr acount for the characters of this story. On that account you can ask all of the main characters any questions you would like and that character will answer your question. That is also a place where you as my readers can talk to me about anything you would like to. If any of you are interested in following that tumblr account or just asking a question you can copy and paste the url into your address bar and then delete all of the spaces:**

ask - this - rose - can - bloom . tumblr . com

**We hope to see you all there! 3 all of my love and as always, thank you for reading!}*~_**


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